Two West Texas Fires Cause Partial Closure of I-27 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

Two West Texas Fires Cause Partial Closure of I-27

Two grass fires, both fueled by wind, caused officials to shut down part of I-27 Sunday afternoon.

The first fire sparked just after noon near Abernathy. The fire started at the Farmers Tuco Gin and spread quickly. More than 200 railroad ties caught fire, shutting down part of the railroad. The fire spread several miles and across several county roads.

"It burned right up next to several occupied structures. It endangered a couple of livestock we opened some gates so they could seek safety on their own, but other than that we did not lose any real property that we know of except for a couple of abandon barns," offered Abernathy Fire Chief Kelly Vandygr.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Another fire, this one near Plainview, kept firefighters busy for more than 3 hours Sunday. The grass fire started just before 1:30pm near I-27 and County Road 120.

It is unknown how many acres were burned in the fire, but the Plainview Fire Department says at least one abandoned structure was destroyed in the blaze.

The cause of that fire is also unknown.

get more>> Web Enhanced Wildfire Prevention Tips Here are some helpful tips to follow when visiting areas where wildland fires can ignite.