A fire on the IV Ranch east of Canadian burned 1,957 acres of grassland Thursday. Fifteen area fire departments and the Texas Forest Service were engaged in the 7-1/2-hour battle to stop its spread.

The first sirens sounded in Canadian at 12:38 pm Thursday afternoon. Several calls for mutual aid followed, with assistance provided by fire departments in Mobeetie, Allison, Briscoe, Wheeler, Roberts County, Gem City, Locust Grove, Lipscomb, Higgins, Follett, Darrouzett, and by strike teams and firefighters in Ellis County, Beaver County, and Catesby, Oklahoma.

The fire was reported to be out around 8 pm.

Canadian VFD Fire Chief Scott Brewster reported that no structures burned—only grass. The fire, he said, was started by an NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) 4-wheeler.

Fire Weather Watch In Effect Monday
For Central and Eastern Panhandles

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a Fire Weather Watch for strong winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Monday afternoon through Monday evening.

The affected area includes Texas and Beaver counties in Oklahoma, and Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Armstrong, Donley and Collingsworth counties in Texas. Forecasters are anticipating 20-foot winds out of the south at 20-25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. The Red Flag Threat Index will range from 2-to-4.

Fire Weather conditions are anticipated on Monday from 1-9 pm.

A Weather Watch means that the potential for critical fire weather conditions exists, and red flag warnings may be issued.