Montgomery and Harris County firefighters extinguish brush fire that put Kingwood homes at risk

Montgomery and Harris County firefighters doused a brush fire that put several Kingwood homes and apartment units at risk, responders said. 

Porter firefighters responded to the fire around 6 p.m. Wednesday at Loop 494 between Kingwood Drive and Northpark Drive, Porter Fire Chief Carter Johnson told the Montgomery County Police Reporter. 

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Units arrived to find heavy fire conditions along the train tracks spreading towards large pine trees and across Loop 494, according to a report from the Police Reporter. This put homes and apartment units at risk as the fire continued to spread, the report states. 

Porter and Houston firefighters were able to cut several large pine trees with fire in the tops, bringing the fire under control before sunset. 

“Crews have been fighting multiple fires across the county,” Johnson said. “It’s extremely dry.” 

On Tuesday, Montgomery County commissioners issued a 30-day burn ban due to how dry it is in the county. Most of Montgomery County is at more than 600 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which is used to determine forest fire potential.

The index ranges from 0 to 800, with an index of 0 representing no moisture depletion and an index of 800 meaning absolutely dry conditions. 

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More than 78 percent of the state is “abnormally dry,” including Montgomery County, based on the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a partnership of academic and government scientists.

“We just people to be mindful,” Johnson said. “No outdoor burning, tie up your chains when you’re hauling a trailer and make sure you don’t discard cigarettes out the window. Because we’re seeing a lot of accidental starts.”