Firefighters contain 57-acre Conco Hill fire

CASS COUNTY, Texas — Fire crews in northeast Texas have fully contained a wildfire that burned 57 acres in Cass County over the weekend, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The Conoco Hill Fire, which started Friday afternoon, surprised officials since the region isn’t currently experiencing drought conditions.

The fire was first reported around 3:05 p.m. Friday when the Texas A&M Forest Service announced on its X.com (formerly Twitter) page that crews were responding to a request for assistance.

Initially, it was estimated at 100 acres with no containment. But as firefighters worked through the afternoon, they were able to get a more accurate picture of the burn area, adjusting the size down to 70 acres by 4:36 p.m.

At that point, containment had reached 30% as crews focused on widening firebreaks and putting out hotspots.

By early evening, progress was steady. Officials updated the fire’s size to 57 acres around 7:08 p.m. and reported that it was 75% contained. Crews stayed on the ground through the night, and by 10:24 p.m., they had it 90% contained.

By Saturday afternoon, the fire was fully under control. At 4:04 p.m., Texas A&M Forest Service confirmed it had reached 100% containment and all state resources were released from the scene.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, and officials are reminding residents that even without drought conditions, wildfires can start and spread quickly under the right circumstances.

The Texas A&M Forest Service is urging people to be careful with outdoor burning.

Fortunately, no injuries or structural damage were reported.