Landowner doing welding work accidentally sparks fire that has burned roughly 152 acres

MILAM COUNTY, TX — A landowner doing welding work on a gate accidentally sparked a fire that has burned roughly 152 acres in Milam County.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, as of 6 p.m. on December 10, the Ward Fire is 90% contained.

Update: the #WardFire in Milam County is 152 acres and 90% contained. #txfire

— Incident Information - Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) December 10, 2020

Six structures, including homes and barns, were threatened by the fire. However, none were lost thanks to the actions of first responders.

The Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department says the scene of the fire off of County Roads 326 and 334 has been cleared.

The department is urging Milam County residents to not conduct any outdoor burning and/or hot work.