Fires
Fires
May 2025 COCHISE FIRE
The Cochise Fire aka Blue Fire
On Saturday afternoon, May 10, 2025, the DMRVFD was toned out at 4:30 pm for a fire in the DMR which was reported at property located at the end of Cochise Canyon Trail on private property. Chief Edna Queen toned out Fort Davis Fire and called Jeremy Williams the Fort Stockton Texas Forest Service representative. He arrived right away and ordered three SEATS (single engine air tanker) drops of retardant Saturday evening.
We are very fortunate conditions were favorable so that the SEATS attack could drop retardant during the daylight window before the planes were ordered back to ground. However, Jeremy Williams (TFS) was still concerned about the fire and stayed the night in his truck at the DMR fire department. Jeremy kept watch as he was worried the fire might build again if winds were to pick up.
On Sunday morning, May 11, 2025, we had a large contingent of assistance arrive in the DMR. A Strike Team from TFS arrived with approximately 25 men who would be “boots on the ground” to fight the fire in the canyon. The Alpine Volunteer Fire Department sent a 5-person crew to assist if needed. This was their first time in the DMR!
Sunday also saw more SEATS attacks of six more retardant drops and six water drops. Sunday was extremely busy at the fire department. There was no way to get trucks to the location. We had to use our UTV’s, our personal UTV’s and one hybrid Toyota (lol) to shuttle the men to the trailhead location which was over a mile past the property owner’s gate. The UTV trail to the drop off location had many switchbacks, elevations, steep downhill roads, and narrow draws! The mileage each way was almost 4 miles! The UTV’s were weighed down coming and going! After the drop offs, the hand crews had to hike at least another mile to the fire. As one fireman said, he hugged a tree on the way down to keep from falling!
Fire creates its own weather and this morning we saw classic fire behavior as the temperatures rose, and humidity levels dropped. Spot fires popped up and we had a couple of new plumes to get under control.
As the Texas Forest Service pulled away on the afternoon of Monday, May 12, 2025, they turned the responsibility of the fire back to the DMRVFD and the DMR community.
Wednesday morning, May 14, Asst. Chief Kevin Honeycutt, Captain Bert LaGuarde and Firefighter Rhonda Honeycutt drove to the trailhead and Bert and Rhonda hiked down to the fire location to do some investigation and check for hot spots. They found the heel of the fire, the flanks and the ignition location where lightning struck a dead Ponderosa Pine. Remnants of the shattered and scorched pine and the hole the TFS dug to make sure the dead roots were not burning underground.
Now let’s talk about what could have happened……
If the winds had been higher and humidity levels lower and higher heat, the fire would have run up the saddle of the canyon to the ridge of the mountain. Then we would have had a huge fire on our hands. If winds had shifted from the NNE to the South or West, fire could have run back to the DMR and then structures would have been threatened.
We will continue to monitor the fire’s location throughout the coming week. It’s predicted to get hot and windy. Perfect weather for fire and red flag days.
As a department, we want to thank all our volunteers who have been at the station all weekend. Our firemen spent many trips shuttling the TFS hand crews back and forth to the location. Our support team members have been cooking and cleaning and serving everyone involved. It’s great to have a hot meal at the end of the day after a long day’s work and the TFS crews really appreciated the efforts. Thanks to the community members who dropped off water and donations and delicious food…it is very much appreciated.
As a community we can NOT get complacent about fire. If you see smoke, smell smoke, call 911 immediately. Do not wait! Dispatch will not get upset if you call in a fire that has already been reported. Evey single minute counts with fire when we are trying to get resources out here to fight fire.
Thank you to Darryl Fellers and his mom Karen for reporting the smoke sighting.
Remember time is of importance. If you see or smell smoke or fire, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!
December 18, 2024 DMRVFD Assists the FDVFD on Hwy 166 Accident
On December 18, 2024, the DMRVFD sent a team out to assist the Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department with an accident on Highway 166 just past Bloys Camp. The accident occurred in a free range area and involved a vehicle hitting a cow. When a vehicle verses a cow, the vehicle never wins. Thankfully the fire from the fully engulfed vehicle did not spread into the surrounding grassland.
Photos from the Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department
July 26, 2023 Rock Pile Fire
The DMRVFD was called to on to investigate a fire on Hwy166 near where it meets up with 118 to go to Kent. The investigation turned into a full blown, all hands on deck, need to get to work situation. FTVFD we’re working a fire at the Madeira picnic area so it was us with the help from a few FD trucks. We sent our 3 brush trucks, a 5 ton and a water tender. It was hot! The winds were squirrelly shift directions from on minute to the next. We were working one team on the road to keep the fire from jumping the road. The rest in the rough mountain terrain. I could not asked for more from my team. They did an outstanding job! We held on for 6 hours till the Tx Forrest Service showed up. I was glad to turn it over to them. Thank you to Sandi and Stewart Luke Billingsley for the delicious dinner. It was worth the drive in to town not to have to go home a figure out something for dinner! No injuries, no heat stroke, that’s a win in my book.
Edna Queen – DMRVFD Fire Chief
August 4, 2023 Blue Mountain Fire
On August 4, 2023, the DMRVFD was called out to a fire near Blue Mountain. The fire started by lightening and struck a very secluded area with a pretty steep elevation. The area burned was less than an acre but full of very flammable yucca and grass. Fire fighters had to hike to the location with water packs and shovels to contain the fire. Thanks to Aaron and Stacey Rasbach, Edward Eaton and Jan VanLiere for teaming up to respond. Thanks to Marvin Voiers and Asst. Chief Kevin Honeycutt for manning the station and keeping in constant contact with our teams and getting the trucks ready to roll. Chief Edna Queen and I drove over to assess the situation and make sure our team was safe. It was a long evening and we were back in the station around 10:30 pm. I hope everyone got to rest up last night.
Rhonda Honeycutt
Thanks Edna Queen for the photos!
August 4-6, 2023 Red Barn 7 Fire
The Red Barn 7 Fire continues to burn this morning, but Fort Davis and the Texas Forestry Service are on hand. The DMRVFD sent out two crews yesterday. These are pictures from yesterday (8/5/23) as they fought the fire in extreme heat, wind shifts and rough terrain. Thanks to all the volunteers whether fire fighter or manning the station. It has been a long weekend for all of us as we also had to fight fire on Friday as well. Our crew rolled in around 10:30 pm last night and a crew was headed back at 6:45 am this morning to assist. If you see someone from the fire department, stop and say “thanks”….it has been a long hard weekend for us all.
Rhonda Brown Honeycutt
Thanks to Kevin, Jan and Rhonda for the photos
February 26, 2023 Point of Rocks Fire and Solar Park Fire
In the late afternoon on Sunday February 26, 2023, the DMR was asked to assist the Fort Davis Fire Department with a fire that was started by a downed power pole. Named the Solar Park Fire, the fire was north and west of the riding stables toward the Sproul Ranch of Highway 118.
On the way to the Solar Park fire our firemen in B71 spotted a fire just north of the Point of rocks picnic area, on the West side of highway 166, on the Largent Ranch. Our B71 was first on site with the rancher and his men to work the fire. B72 arrived a few minutes later. The fire was small, thankfully, but the danger was the down power lines. They were all tangled up in the burning brush. We had to wait for AEP, (power company) to turn off the power and cut the lines. We had mopped up all around the power lines till we were given the okay. Roy Largent, owner rancher, asked if having a maintainer come and cut around the perimeter of the fire would help. I said a quick yes please! As soon as that was done our crew refilled water from the POA tinder, T71 parked on the road. Firemen Billy Moore and former Fire Chief Darell Fellers brought the tinder at the request of Fort Davis Fire Chief Pat Olivas.
We then all proceeded to the Solar Park fire. We arrived right before sunset and were told to stage at a specific location and wait for further instructions from Chief Olivas, to see where we would be best needed. As we waited, we were able to put out some smaller flair ups close to our location.
When the radio call came for us to replace a Fort Davis crew at the Solar Park Fire, we were ready. Fort Davis Fire Chief Olivas told me to position our trucks along a dirt road. We were to wait for the fire to work its way up the side of the mountain to us and hold the line there. He said it was vital to hold the fire there or the fire would burn up and over the mountain and into the Limpia Crossing subdivision.
I had two teams, Aaron Rasbach, Jan Van Liere and Edward Eaton on B71 and Wendi Bates, Stacey Rasbach and myself of B72. Even as Fire Chief, this was my first really big fire. Wendi and Stacey had a few smaller fires under their belt. Aaron has structure experience but this was his first wildland fire. Jan and Ed suited up for the first time that day! Aaron and Stacey were the nozzle operators and the rest of us were making sure our hose line did not get caught up in the brush. We watched and waited as the fire crept up to us and then bam it was on us. What an amazing job they did. Everyone working together as team. We were able to stop the fire there on the road. We had to go back for water and then went back out again. I swapped places with Billy Moore so that he would get some much needed experience. We left one team still working and the rest of us headed back to the station around midnight. B72 had developed some pump issues.
I could not have asked for more from our team of firefighters.
Edna Queen – Fire Chief
DMPOAVFD
March 3, 2023 Solar Park Fire Update
The Solar Park Fire remains at 2816 acres and 85% containment. High winds yesterday prevented work in the higher elevations but we had no fire spread despite the winds. There is no fire on the perimeter but there are hot spots remaining within the interior. A number of crews will be relocating to prepositioning sites in Fort Stockton while other will be sent to San Angelo. A strike team, the Ops Chief, and the Medical Task Force will remain in Fort Davis over the weekend. The goal today is to mitigate the remaining hot spots and smoldering trees that could present a source of sparks or flying embers. This work will continue over the weekend.
J. Fowler PIO 08:50 3 Mar 2023
Point of Rocks Fire
Solar Park Fire
Thanks Edna and Billy for the above photos!
Special thanks to Val Harrison for photos showing the many agencies that came to assist with the Solar Park Fire.
February 10, 2023 DMRVFD Assistance to Fort Davis VFD at Largent Ranch Fire
On Friday, February 10, 2023, while most people were sleeping, the Fort Davis Fire Department was called to a house fire on the Largent Ranch, close to the picnic area at Point of Rocks off Highway 166. They did ask for our help a little before 3 am. The first team left the station at 3:10. I had to call around and wake up firemen to come to the station. They like me slept through the radio tone out. We arrived on scene 4:30ish, the wind was hollowing and it was 25°. Bert LaGarde and Stacey Rasbach arrived first with B 74. They went right to work spraying water. It was cold, water froze on the trucks and ground. Kevin Honeycutt and Rhonda Brown Honeycutt were just added to our department during our monthly business meeting a few hours earlier. They jumped right in, trail by fire no pun intended. FC Olivas let us go around 5:30, I was home 6:30ish. THE FDVFD and DMRVFD firemen are a truly amazing hard working, dedicated group of volunteers. Thank you for all you do.
Edna Queen – Chief DMRVFD
February 10, 2023 Afternoon Update
Update from Fort Davis Community Chat Facebook Site: Our thoughts and prayers are with Jeff Davis County Chief Deputy Jerry Walker. Chief Deputy Walker’s home and many belongings were lost in a fire on Thursday night. Donations for Chief Deputy Walker are being accepted at the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office and the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office.
January 7, 2023 Assistance to the Fort Davis VFD
On Friday, January 27, 2023, our department had the opportunity to assist the Fort Davis VFD fight a structure fire on Grant/Sgt Gonzales Street. It was on older trailer that thankfully noone was at home at the time of the fire. We sent B71 so that our firemen would be able free up the Fort Davis firemen from having to keep the fire from spreading from the house site to the surrounding grassy areas. It allowed the FD firemen to concentrate on the structure fire. Fort Davis had almost every truck in their department, except for their 5 tons on site. Thank you FDVFD for allowing me to send our firemen. They had an excellent learning opportunity. Thank you Billy Moore and Stacey Rasbach for the excellent job they did representing the DMRVFD. Thank you to Rhonda Brown Honeycutt, Kevin Honeycutt and Marvin Voiers for holding down the station allowing me to make sure Billy and Stacey were safe. I am sad for the people who lived in that trailer, they lost everything.
Edna Queen – Fire Chief
DMPOAVFD, Inc.
Photos by Edna Queen
July 21, 2022 Box Springs Fire at the McDannall Ranch
On July 21, 2022, the Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department and Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department responded to a grass fire at the Barrel Springs Ranch. DMRVFD firefighters Stacey Rasbach and Billy Moore drove Brush 71 to the Barrel Springs HQs where they were met by Dale Pilcher and Wendi Bates in Brush 74. A short time later, all units were diverted to the Box Springs Fire located at the McDannall Ranch. Later that evening, according to the Fort Davis VFD, the Texas Forest Service was to have aviation assets and a strike team to assist with the fire.
For fire updates, click here to go to the Lone Star Incident Management Team – Texas A&M Forest Service site.
Photos by Wendi Bates and Billy Moore
March 28, 2022 Nunn Fire at the High Lonesome Ranch off Highway 118 west
On March 28, 2022, the Fort Davis Volunteer Fire Department is currently fighting a grass fire on north hwy 118 at the High Lonesome Ranch. The fire is burning on top of a ridge, making access difficult. Davis Mountains Resort and Cherry Creek firefighters, as well as the Texas Forest Service Aviation and ground crews are assisting. At last report the fire was about 100 acres in size and spreading slowly. Our goal is to get this fire out tonight, in advance of the high winds predicted tomorrow.
NOTE: Our DMRVFD Firefighters have been assisting fight this fire and the Support Team members assisted in preparing and distributing food for all those fighting and assisting with the fire.
Edna Queen – DMRVFD Chief
Nunn Fire Updates
03/29/2020 Appx 12:00 am – Brought food to the fort Davis and DMR firemen on the High lonesome ranch. Just got home showered and trying to decompress. It was a very long day. Tomorrow is going to be a Major high wind warning day. I don’t know that is not going to burn for awhile. We were up just west of Kent south about 20 miles more or less from I 10. Some beautiful country.
Edna Queen – DMRVFD Chief
03/29/2020 06:53 am – 230 ac 20% contained. We will be on the fire early this morning hoping to hit it hard before the high winds get here. Roy Hurley – Fire Marshall JDC
03/30/2022 Appx 11:43am – Update on the Nunn Fire. There was no change in the acreage of fire overnight. Firefighters put out all the active fire yesterday. Only hot spots remain.
Texas A&M Forest Service (TAMFS) is working those spots today. We have high winds from the west today but had good humidity recovery last night and expect no lower than 25% today
so the fine fuels should be difficult to burn. Only TAMFS is working the fire today. No Fort Davis or Cherry Creek firefighters have been sent out. Fort Davis Fire Department
03/30/2022 8:30 pm – The fire is 1,121 acres at 90% contained. Thank you for all of our VFD’s in JDC and TFS on this fire. We could’ve had a bad one but as a whole, we were able to
get it taken care of. I would like to say thank you to everyone that helped out with getting us food and the Community Support. Roy Hurley – Fire Marshall JDC
March 23, 2022 - DMRVFD Assist at Largent Home Fire
Today, the DMRVFD was tasked out to help Ft Davis VFD with a house fire at the home of Roy Largent. Itt was belie today so we are very lucky it did not spread past the home. The DMRVFD firefighters are Wildland firemen, we re not trained in structure fire protection nor do we have the gear. We brought our brush trucks and the DMPOA water tender brought an additional 7000 gallons of water on scene and to be on hand if the fire spread beyond the structure into the surrounding grassland. The men and women of the FDVFD fought a valiant fight but the home could not be saved.
Thank you to the men and women of the DMRVFD Support Team. They rounded up food for the crew with what we had in the stations freezer and their own! It was delicious and greatly appreciated. Our brush 75 truck 5 ton had a flat coming home but I have the wonderful Caleb Bencomo coming to change the tire tomorrow afternoon.
I know I sound like a broken record but please be careful out there. Red flag warnings are in place for the next few days.
Edna Queen – Chief, DMRVD
December 9, 2021 Assist at Dyer Ranch
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, the DMRVFD was toned out to a fire on the Dyer ranch. We assisted the FDVFD in fighting a grass fire most likely started on the road side. There was an urgency in getting this fire put out ahead of the cold front forecasted to arrive tomorrow with 50mph winds. Ken Gossett, Stewart Billingsley, Stacey Rasbach, Billy Moore, Burt Lagarde, Dale kitchens and me, Edna Queen, were on site. Support Team members Cathy Gossett, Marvin Voiers and Pam Edwards manned the fire station. Rebecca Leach, representing both departments, responded to the fire with the FDVFD as she was working at Prude Ranch when we got toned out. Edna Queen – Chief
