Coryell County wildfire 100 percent contained after burning 2,887 acres

A wildfire burning since July 18 is now 100 percent contained after burning 2,887 acres in Coryell County, Copperas Cove Deputy Fire Chief Gary Young said.

The Texas A&M Forest Service said it was originally reported the fire burned 5,005, but added the drop in acres burned is due to more accurate mapping of the area.

Renee Campbell lives in the rural community surrounded by the fire. The majority of her property was left scorched by the flames.

"We've never experienced anything like this. I never thought it would happen to me," Campbell said. "It was like a war zone. I mean, all that orange stuff and the helicopters and the airplanes coming in."

Multiple agencies have been attacking this fire from every angle. They've been using planes to dump water and retardant while other crews work on the containment lines below.

Quick action from firefighters helped save Campbell's home and livestock. The retardant was doused over her house, pool and shed. Her animals were also released from their enclosures.

"We're just grateful. Of course, all the fields are burnt and we have no hay left but I'm just thankful we had our pond down there," Campbell said. "They were able to get some water out of our pond for the fire."

Fire officials said the wind and dry conditions are making it difficult to get the fire under control. The triple-digit temperatures are also making it hard on first responders who have been working 16-hour days since the fire first started.

"We did have two heat-related injuries so we're just trying to stress to our folks, you know, to stay hydrated and get those breaks in the shade when you can," said Gabriel Mahlum, regional fire coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Mary Leathers is the resource specialist for the Texas A&M Forest Service. She said more than a dozen homes were evacuated at one point, but the evacuation has since been canceled and people are now able to return.

She said it will take them a few more days to put out the fire completely. They hope to have the situation under control by Sunday.

"It's really important that we have this barrier right on the fire perimeter so that fire cannot go anywhere," Leathers said.

You can track active fires in our area here.