Firefighters contain dangerous Rio Grande City fire

RIO GRANDE CITY — Starr County firefighters kept a fire that burned in the northwest corner of this city Monday afternoon from damaging any occupied homes.

Nearly 100 homes were in danger when a fire started on a 40-acre lot off North Charco Blanco Road about 1:30 p.m., said Gene Falcon, Starr County's emergency management coordinator. An unoccupied home on the empty lot was damaged from the blaze but no others sustained any damage.

The fire was one of three blazes across Starr County that were fueled by wind gusts of up to 30 mph.

“It’s just dry,” Falcon said. “We haven’t had any measurable rain in so long. The wind isn't helping.”

Dozens of homes near Rio Grande City were threatened by a grass fire that burned about 30 acres,. Two other fires near La Casita and San Isidro were also fueled by wind gusts of up to 30 mph.

Crews from Rio Grande City, Roma and surrounding communities contained all of the blazes by 9 p.m. and were searching for hotspots.

The largest of the fires burned 200 acres near La Gloria that was brought under control with the help of McAllen’s Public Works Department, which used a bulldozer to cut firebreaks.

Another fire burned a few acres near La Casita.

No structures were damaged in the fires near La Gloria and La Casita.