Wildfire Closes Door Key Road in Tom Green County

TOM GREEN COUNTY, TX — A wildfire prompted the closure of Door Key Road on Tuesday afternoon as firefighters from several local departments worked the latest grass fire in rural Tom Green County. 

The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office issued an alert at about 2 p.m. telling drivers to avoid the 17000 block of Door Key Road because of fire activity. The sheriff’s office said Door Key Road would be closed to through traffic and asked motorists to seek an alternate route. 

Texas A&M Forest Service listed the fire, named Door Key, at 25 acres with 0% containment Tuesday afternoon. The incident is in Tom Green County off of South US Highway 277. 

Dove Creek Volunteer Fire Department said it was operating on the fire in the Door Key Road area and that multiple agencies were on scene. Assisting units included Wall VFD, Christoval VFD, East Concho VFD, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Goodfellow Air Force Base. Dove Creek VFD asked residents to stay out of the area so crews have room to work, be prepared to evacuate if advised, keep family members, pets and livestock ready, and call 911 to report new fire activity. 

The cause of the Door Key fire has not been released. Officials have not said whether any structures were damaged. 

The new fire comes after several other grass fires in the same part of the county since last week. 

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the Upton 3 fire remained active Tuesday at 391 acres and was 90% contained. Wall Volunteer Fire Department said that the fire started about 1:13 p.m. Monday off Susan Peak Road. Wall VFD said Wall and Dove Creek units were dispatched, found a well-established, wind-driven grass fire, and requested mutual aid from Texas A&M Forest Service, Christoval VFD, Mereta VFD and Goodfellow Fire and Emergency Services. 

On Sunday, Wall VFD said Wall and Dove Creek were sent at 10:58 a.m. to the Upton 2 fire off Susan Peak Road on the Upton Ranch. According to Wall VFD, that fire was caused by lightning. The department said the fire had light activity when crews arrived, but dropping humidity and shifting winds later required additional help from the Texas A&M Forest Service and Goodfellow. Wall VFD said units stopped the fire’s forward progress and cleared the scene at 9:15 p.m.

On Sept. 10, Wall VFD said it responded at 6:45 p.m. to a smoke investigation on Susan Peak Road after a lightning strike seen from Wall Station 1. Crews declared a working grass fire and called Texas A&M Forest Service and Dove Creek VFD. 

Wall VFD said a second grass fire was then reported farther down Susan Peak Road, and Goodfellow Fire and Emergency Services was requested for mutual aid. That same evening, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office warned of multiple grass fires on Susan Peak Road between Marathon Oil Road and Barron Road. 

The repeated calls have put extra strain on volunteer departments that cover large rural areas. Dove Creek VFD, which protects nearly 400 square miles in southwestern and southeastern Tom Green County, said this week that its call volume has risen sharply over the past month. The department said volunteers have responded to numerous fires, vehicle accidents, and several large wildfires, both in their own district and while assisting neighboring departments. 

Dove Creek VFD is asking for bottled water, sports drinks, electrolyte packets, firefighter rehabilitation and station supplies, and monetary donations. Donations can be dropped off at 11191 Northcross Lane in San Angelo or made at dovecreekvfd.org. 

Weather has added to the workload. The National Weather Service in San Angelo warned of elevated fire conditions Tuesday because of heat, low humidity, and gusty south winds. Highs were expected in the upper 90s to around 100 degrees, with south winds 15 to 20 mph and gusts near 30 mph. 

The Texas A&M Forest Service reported 65 active fires and more than 101,000 acres burning statewide Tuesday afternoon.