Fire Management Team to Leave Midland County Annex

Firefighting vehicles with out-of-state license plates and people clad in green pants at the Midland County Courthouse will soon be gone. Since April 10, firefighters and equipment from all over the country have used the Midland County Annex as a command post to control West Texas wildfires. Starting Wednesday, that will change.

In the past two months, three different Incident Management Teams (IMTs) took turns managing wildfires collectively known as the Trans Pecos Complex. On Wednesday, the last of the teams, the Southern Area Type 2 IMT, will transfer command back to the Texas Forest Service and begin the process of packing supplies and closing the shutters at the annex. Seven task forces of fire engines and bulldozers will remain behind at key locations under control of the Texas Forest Service. Incident Management Teams help local agencies manage incidents such as large wildfires and hurricanes.

The Southern Area Type 2 Team was last in Texas in 2008 when they helped with recovery efforts from Hurricane Ike in Galveston. “It is our honor to come to the aid of the citizens of the great state of Texas,” said Incident Commander, Mark Morales. “We greatly appreciate the hospitality and assistance we have been given by the residents and government officials.”

Local fire departments initially respond to wildfires and request assistance from Texas Forest Service if a wildfire grows beyond their capability to control it. The large number, size and frequency of wildfires in recent weeks required more firefighters and equipment than Texas Forest Service had available. Bringing in an Incident Management Team to work on some of the fires allowed Texas Forest Service employees to get some rest and be available to assist local fire departments with new fires.

Now that large wildfires like the Wildcat, Rockhouse and Schwartz Fires have been contained and fires that have started lately have been kept small by local firefighters, West Texas no longer needs the help of an Incident Management Team. But due to extremely dry conditions in much of Texas, the threat of wildfires is still very real. Local fire departments and the Texas Forest Service will continue to position firefighters, engines, and bulldozers in strategic areas for quick response to any future wildfires that may occur.

“Just because the incident management team is leaving doesn’t mean that the risk for large fires is gone,” said Assistant Chief Regional Fire Coordinator Lori Hazel. Firefighters from 42 states from Maine to California worked in West Texas to protect lives and property. After spending weeks in Texas towns they felt like part of the community. Firefighters enjoyed meeting local residents and added to the economy by purchasing meals, fuel, lodging and supplies.

In turn, Texans embraced the firefighters, showering them with baked goods and barbecue dinners such as one put on in Marathon by Fire Chief Daniel Eaton and Della “DJ” Hensley. “We appreciate everything the firefighters have done for us,” said Carlos Hernandez, vice-president of operations for Rosa’s Café Tortilla Factory in Midland. Right around the corner from the County Annex, Rosa’s was a popular spot for the overhead team and firefighters passing through the command post. “I’ve met firefighters from all over,” Hernandez added after teaching a North Carolina crew what a tamale was and how to eat it. “I was afraid they’d eat the corn husk.”

Upon hearing that the command post in Midland would be shutting down, Hernandez said he hoped to see the firefighters back soon; not fighting fires, but as visitors.