Pasco Firefighters Return After Two Weeks Battling 90,000-Acre Texas Wildfires

Four Pasco County firefighters arrived home Monday after spending more than two weeks battling wildfires in Northern Texas. Their deployment, initially scheduled for two weeks, extended due to the intensity of the blazes that threatened communities and consumed thousands of acres.

Special Operations Captain Bryan Spooner led three other Pasco County Fire Rescue members on the drive to Texas. Their mission involved helping contain the 90,000-acre Ross fire in Palo Pinto, a region experiencing drought conditions since July 11. Scarce water sources and mountainous terrain complicated firefighting efforts. Crews initially hauled water from lakes and ponds, with a water tender arriving on the fifth day to assist. Firefighters worked longer than 12-hour shifts on all but three days of their deployment.

While battling the Ross Fire, the team also responded to the Bug Beach Fire after it ignited. They shifted focus to help contain this second blaze, working to prevent both fires from reaching populated areas. Local Texas communities provided significant support to the deployed firefighters. Captain Spooner recalled a church near their work location that provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the crews.

Rain arrived last Friday, allowing the Pasco crew to stand down and begin their journey home. They arrived back in Pasco County on Monday and returned to work yesterday, Tuesday. Other Florida crews, including a team from Hernando County, also assisted with the Texas wildfires; the Hernando County team returned over the weekend. The full extent of the damage caused by the Ross and Bug Beach fires remains unknown.