Lufkin Firefighters Deployed to Assist with Central Texas Wildfires

Five Lufkin firefighters were deployed to assist with the growing Ross Fire and Rio Escondido Fire in Central Texas. The deployment was made at the request of the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (ETMF), which utilizes the Lufkin Fire Department as a Wildland Paramedic Unit. The Ross Fire has been burning an estimated 80,000 acres in Palo Pinto and Jack counties, and reported at 12% containment.

The deployment highlights the reliance on local resources to support state-level emergency responses. The Lufkin Fire Department receives reimbursement through state programs for its assistance under the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS).