ACRES OF ASHES – (Left photo) Frio County emergency responders including firefighters from Dilley, Bigfoot and Atascosa County were dispatched to a fast-moving wildfire beside FM 140 in eastern Frio County last week while a drone captured the amount of territory that had been burned. Although the county has recorded more than double the amount of rainfall in 2023 than was measured last year, extreme drought conditions persist, according to the county’s emergency management coordinator, whose presentation to county commissioners in July prompted re-authorization of a ban on all outdoor burning in Frio, except for pre-approved and supervised agricultural fires. Firefighters have since been dispatched to other uncontrolled burns in the county, including one near Hwy 85 east of Dilley on Thursday, a structure fire the same day on the outskirts of Pearsall, two grass fires beside IH-35 near Moore on Friday, and a fire near Bigfoot on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
