SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office issued an update on Monday, Aug. 21, about a fire south of Abilene responsible for burning over 400 acres and temporarily displacing residents from their homes.

The sheriff’s office revealed that the fire, dubbed the Hilltop Fire, was ignited sometime on Friday, Aug. 18, after lightning struck the area.

According to the statement, the Hilltop Fire is currently 85% contained and spans roughly 200 acres.

The fire has damaged infrastructure in the area, with fire managers reporting significant damage to powerlines and a repeater building on Saturday, Aug. 19. Two firefighters were also reported to have been injured by the flames, but both injuries were considered minor and treated appropriately.

Black smoke billows high into the Texas sky. Video courtesy of Meri Moorehouse Combs.

Crews are now racing to construct and improve containment lines surrounding the fire while also using machinery and hand crews to patrol and “mop-up” areas still containing burning material within 200 feet of the containment lines. Bulldozers and hand crews are also being used to connect containment lines where possible.

Though there are no evacuations currently in effect at this time, a Temporary Flight Restriction has been placed over the area of the fire to ensure that firefighting aircraft can navigate the airspace safely. This region, titled “NOTAM: FDC 3/8262,” has been marked by the Federal Aviation Administration with the following sectional:

A sectional portraying the airspace under a Temporary Flight Restriction due to the Hilltop Fire. Image courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office advises residents of the area to routinely refer to its Facebook page for more information. It also encourages anyone who wishes to donate to visit an ongoing PayPal fundraiser made to raise money for fire departments and local agencies.

  • A column of smoke towers over neighboring hills. Photo courtesy of Abilene Regional Airport.
  • One of the C130 planes used for combating the Hilltop Fire. Photo courtesy of Abilene Regional Airport.