Overview
- The wildfire began near Highway 180 in Palo Pinto County on Aug. 24 and spread quickly across Palo Pinto and Jack counties, reaching an estimated 85,303 acres by the Aug. 29 incident update.
- Incident managers reported 31% containment on Aug. 29 after crews held the fire inside control features and focused line construction to stop new growth east of FM 4 and along the Highway 16 corridor.
- Damage assessments completed Aug. 29 show 157 structures destroyed, 18 of them occupied residences, 140 structures damaged, and 453 structures saved, while no civilian or firefighter fatalities have been reported.
- Texas A&M Forest Service is in unified command with local departments and roughly 200 personnel plus dozers and aircraft are working on direct line construction, mop‑up and structure protection under a Temporary Flight Restriction.
- The Ross Fire is now the second‑largest blaze in the National Weather Service Fort Worth area, strained regional resources during a statewide hot and dry stretch, and has prompted a FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grant to help cover suppression costs.