6.5-mile stretch of FM-247 in Walker County closed as fire burns in wooded area north of Huntsville

WALKER COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Crews continued working late into the night Friday to contain a wildfire north of Huntsville that grew 10 times its size in a matter of three hours.

According to the Walker County Office of Emergency Management, a major fire erupted Friday afternoon in a wooded area along Lost Indian Camp Road just off FM-247.

As of 9 p.m., the Texas A&M Forest Service reports the so-called Game Preserve Fire has burned about 1,200 acres and is 10% contained.

The cause of the fire and reports of injuries were not immediately known.

The county’s OEM recommended an evacuation for everything within three miles of Lost Indian Camp Road. Elsewhere, an evacuation order was called out by the New Waverly Fire Department to residents on Pinedale.

A closure was also in effect for a 6.5-mile stretch of FM-247, from FM-2989 to Pinedale Road.

The TAMU Forest Service offered a glimpse at its response, as well as the fire’s growth. The forest service got a call for assistances at 2 p.m., though, it’s not immediately known when the fire actually sparked.

At 4:21 p.m., the fire was estimated at 100 acres. More than an hour later, at 5:27 p.m., the fire grew to 500 acres. And at 7:37 p.m., just after dusk, the fire grew to 1,000 acres.

The Walker County government website stated it issued a burn ban all the way back on July 31, which restricts most outdoor ignitions.

The reported burn area is located 83 miles outside of downtown Houston.