Wingate Fire Rescue - Texas

05/12/2026

Beginning tomorrow morning, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin making temporary improvements to the stretch of roadway that has become prone to jackknifes, slides, rollovers, and near head-on crashes.

We have responded to more than a dozen accidents in roughly a 200-foot section of road. In fact, while evaluating the area, our Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, and a TxDOT supervisor were nearly involved in an incident themselves.

We are proud to share that TxDOT Taylor County has fought hard to get this addressed. Starting tomorrow morning, crews will begin work that includes hot-mix paving to improve the safety of this area.

Please slow down, stay alert, and watch carefully for these workers. They are out there doing important work for the safety of our community.

Thank you for your continued support of Wingate Fire Rescue.

To learn more about opportunities to serve, partner with, or support Wingate Fire Rescue, please reach out.

05/03/2026

Wondering what’s for dinner?

Brisket dinner
Today
5-8 PM carry out

$15/ plate

106 Smithson Wingate TX 79566

Benefits Drake Glenn for medical expenses after a week at Cooks and med flight fighting an intense infection in nervous system!

04/06/2026

… we are still in a burn ban if you didn’t know!

A good way to find out, is to call in your controlled burn (by law) before you set it off!

04/01/2026

Comanche VFD saw your new airplane … check out our new apparatus!
100% eco friendly, rough terrain… full horsepower!

03/26/2026

Tag Wingate Fire Rescue - Texas!!

Let's Celebrate 325 Day 🥳 We want to join the fun by awarding a $325 grant to three local nonprofits. Here’s how ⤵️
1️⃣ Follow the Community Foundation of Abilene page 👍
2️⃣ @ mention your favorite nonprofit in the comments 💙
3️⃣ Share this post for an extra entry!

Contest ends 8 p.m. March 26, 2026. Winners will be notified by 5 p.m. on March 27, 2026. Nonprofits must be a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization and operate in the Abilene, Texas area. Three organizations will be chosen randomly. Good luck!

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03/19/2026

03/19/2026 Burn Bans Runnels Co
Also active in Taylor and Nolan!

Active violators shall be issued a citation!

03/10/2026

For the FIRST time, the Storm Prediction Center has issued a CIG2 risk for large hail.

This is part of the new system introduced earlier this month to separate probabilities from intensities.

NO CIG means hail less than 2 inches (think quarters)

CIG1 means hail greater than 2 inches is possible (think baseballs)

CIG2 means hail greater than 3.5 inches is possible (think softballs)

While the CIG2 area encompasses the metroplex, this does NOT mean we will get softball hail in the metroplex. I think the greatest hail risk is well west of DFW towards Abilene and San Angelo, where the strongest, most sustained supercells have the potential to produce >3.5inch hail. Very large hail IS possible in the metroplex, but the risk is not as great as out west.

Either way, the risk for large hail is present for ALL of North Texas. Make sure to prepare tomorrow! It’s better to be safe than sorry.

03/08/2026

🚒 Wingate Volunteer Fire Department – Controlled Burn Reminder 🚒

The burn ban has been lifted (Runnels), but we continue to run into the same issue each time this happens:

If you are conducting a controlled burn, you MUST notify 911 dispatch before you start.

Let us explain why this is so important.

Thanks to a generous investment by AEP Texas, fire departments in our area are now connected to the PANO wildfire monitoring system. This system continuously scans the region for smoke and heat signatures.

When smoke or fire is detected, PANO immediately alerts fire departments and dispatch centers across Runnels, Taylor, Nolan, and Coke Counties. The system allows us to view near real-time video, identify the exact location of the smoke or fire, and even monitor the heat signature.

If a burn has not been called in, it appears to us and dispatch exactly like a wildfire. This triggers alerts and can redirect firefighters and emergency resources away from other incidents that may require immediate response.

The good news is that this is very easy to prevent.

📞 Simply call your county dispatch center before starting a controlled burn.

This quick step helps us ensure that emergency resources remain available for true emergencies while still allowing residents to safely conduct controlled burns.

As always, we greatly appreciate the continued support our community shows the Wingate Volunteer Fire Department. Your cooperation helps us be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us and better serve everyone in our area.

Thank you for helping keep our community safe.

Runnels County Sheriff's Office
Nolan County Sheriff's Office
Taylor County Sheriff's Office
American Electric Power - AEP
Texas A&M Forest Service

01/06/2026

12/12/2025

Highway 153 in Wingate just north of the 277 crossover has a traffic control device light system controlling traffic north toward Hwy 70

Please follow this device and do not fail to yield to the red light! It may save your life…

If you’re traveling, allow extra time for the construction reduced speeds and light system!