08/31/2026
Fire Update 3 - Verbena Road Area
Pictures were taken over the past few days.
Crews are still checking on the Verbena Road fire. The fire remains contained, and crews are still finding an occasional hot spot. Some smoke may still be visible in the area, but it has been drastically reduced today.
We have had some questions about why wildfires are not always “put out” completely right away. On larger fires, especially in heavy timber or areas with limited access, it can be impractical or even impossible to extinguish every burning log, stump, root, or pocket of pine needles by hand or with water.
This fire burned in a mature pine plantation with years of dead logs, pine needles, pine duff, and other material on the ground. In some places, fully extinguishing every smoking spot would require digging up layers of pine needles and ground material by hand because water does not pe*****te into that deep material.
That is why firefighters work to build and secure a containment line around the fire. Once the fire is contained, it is not expected to spread beyond that line. Crews then focus on the areas that matter most, such as hot spots near the containment line or places where the fire could cause problems.
On larger fires where it is not practical to put water on every part of the fire, crews will “mop up” a set distance inside the containment line. In these dry conditions, that is usually around 200 feet, which makes it very unlikely for the remaining interior fire to spread across the line.
Some material inside the line may continue to burn and smoke until it burns itself out. That does not mean the fire is spreading or that crews are ignoring it.
Access is also a factor. Some areas of this fire are only accessible by dozer, UTV, or on foot, so crews have to balance the work being done with firefighter safety.
New Mountain VFD and Texas A&M Forest Service will continue checking the fire and addressing any areas of concern. The fire will not be deemed “controlled” until the incident commander is comfortable that the fire has burned itself out.
