UPDATE: Sunday, May 21, 2022, at 10:36 pm.
The Texas A&M Forest Service is reporting the Coconut Fire is 100% contained. Around 28,448 acres were burned.
UPDATE: May 21, 6:00 p.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire is still 28,448 acres. The fire is now 95% contained.
UPDATE: May 20, 9:00 p.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire has grown to 28,448 acres. The fire is now 75% contained.
UPDATE: May 20, 5:50 p.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire has grown to 28,448 acres. The fire is now 65% contained.
UPDATE: May 20, 5:00 p.m.
According to a tweet from the Texas A&M Forest Service Friday morning, the Coconut Fire is still 26,000 acres and 45% contained.
The tweet said that the focus for fire crews Friday would be on mop up and completing the line on the East flank of the fire.
UPDATE: May 19, 4:00 p.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire has grown to 26,000 acres. The fire is now 45% contained.
UPDATE: May 19, 6:45 a.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire has grown to 25,000 acres. The fire is now 20% contained.
Texas A&M Forest Services said that fire crews expect the fire to be active again today with conditions still being hot and dry.
UPDATE: May 18, 8:30 p.m.
According to the Texas Wildfire Response System, the Coconut Fire has grown to 18,000 acres. The fire is still only 5% contained.
UPDATE: May 18, 4:20 p.m.
According to a Facebook post by the Baylor County Emergency Management, the east side of the fire has escalated.
The post thanked the fire services of Bowman, Archer City, Munday, Knox City, Benjamin, Crowell, Vernon, and TFS for helping with the fire.
UPDATE: May 18, 3:10 p.m.
As of 3:10 p.m. the Coconut Fire has spread to 15,000 acres and at the time of the update is only 5 percent contained.
Smoke from the fire can be seen on our website.
UPDATE: May 18, 10:45 a.m.
Texas A&M Forest Services gave an update on Twitter that the 9,000 acre fire is now 30% contained. They said aviation assistance has been called in to help.
In the post, they said the behavior of the fire increased this morning and spread more to the right flank of the fire.
ORIGINAL STORY:
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The wildfire being named the “Coconut Fire” in Wilbarger County continues to spread through Waggoner Ranch, still only being 5% contained.
In a twitter update provided by Texas A&M Forest Services at 6:25 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18, officials said the fire is now estimated at 9,000 acres. In the previous update posted around 11:40 p.m. on Tuesday, the fire was at 4,000 acres.
Officials said while firefighters worked through the night they were able to stop the fire from progressing north and will continue working today to contain the fire.
Texas A&M Forest Services provided an image Tuesday night of the initial perimeter map of the Coconut Fire and stated that perimeter is subject to change.
by Texas A&M Forest Services
At the time of publication, the start of the fire is still unknown to our newsroom. However, Texas A&M Forest Services said in an update Wednesday morning that erratic winds from thunderstorm activity can cause more active fire behavior.
This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage as we gather more information.