Wichita Falls Nearby Wildfire Evacuation

Yesterday, the day known as Monday, also known as August 24, I braved the record breaking 111-degree heat to drive to Walmart a few minutes before 5. As soon as I turned left on to Southwest Boulevard I saw a towering plume of smoke.

When I exited Walmart I took the photo you see above of that aforementioned towering plume of smoke.

I wondered if this was a wildfire and so checked to local news sources, online, when I was back at my computer. No mention was being made of a fire.

And then this morning, first checking the Wichita Falls Times Record News I saw no mention of a fire. I have previously made mention of the fact that the Wichita Falls Times Record News is the lamest newspaper I have ever encountered. 

After finding no mention of a fire in the one and only local newspaper I checked my more reliable local news source. The online version of KFDX TV, known as the Texoma Homepage.

As soon as the Texoma Homepage popped up on my screen I saw...

Evacuations in order for Jack County residents with large blaze

Clicking the link I soon read...

Residents in part of Jack County were issued an emergency evacuation order due to a wildfire that’s spread to 25,000 acres.

At just after 2:40 a.m. on August 25, an evacuation warning was sent out, saying that FM 4 – just southwest of Jacksboro – was shut down due to an ongoing wildfire spreading north.

According to our crew on scene, the entire area of Highway 4 North and East from FM 2210 to US Highway 281 is being evacuated.

The Ross fire began on August 24 in Palo Pinto County and has since spread over 25,000 acres into Jack County.

I assume this fire was the source of the above photo documentation. Texas counties are small. Jack County is a short distance south and east of Wichita County.