March 21 (UPI) — Firefighters in Texas on Monday said that they had successfully stopped the 11,000-acre “Big L” Fire from spreading.
Hood County officials said in a statement that the fire was “under control” as firefighters set up a line at Star Hollow Road south of the city of Lipan, Texas, where they “stopped it from spreading.”
As of Monday morning, the Big L fire was about 20% contained and an evacuation order for Lipan, which is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area, had been lifted, allowing residents who evacuated to return home.
Four firefighters have been injured while combatting the blaze including one who was hospitalized and treated for first-degree burns and three others who were dehydrated and temporarily taken out of service.
A red flag warning and high wind alerts were issued for some areas throughout southern Texas contributing to the wildfire risk in the state.
Firefighters in the state have responded to 178 wildfires that burned 108,493 acres in the past week, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
As of Sunday 23 fires were still actively burning in the state.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday declared a state of emergency in 11 counties in response to the wildfires.
Eastland County sheriff’s deputy Barbara Fenley died Thursday while trying to help an elderly citizen reach safety from the Eastland Complex Fire.
