Man arrested in connection with Montgomery County wildfire

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A 55-year-old man was arrested Friday after being accused of starting a wildfire in Montgomery County. 

Firefighters said the man, who has not been identified, illegally dumped and burned construction materials near his home off Forest Service Road 219, causing the wildfire that quickly spread toward nearby homes on the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest. He has been charged with illegal dumping, which is a Class B Misdemeanor. 

Montgomery County firefighters, along with Forest Service units and a firefighting aircraft, worked together to prevent the fire from spreading to structures and spreading throughout the forested area, according to the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office. 

Though the fire was tapped out Friday afternoon, crews remained on scene to check for hotspots and monitor the containment lines. 

On Thursday, the Texas A&M Forest Service and several other assigned resources responded to 17 new wildfires across Texas for 1,218 acres burned. 

Nearly 200 counties in Texas have burn bans in place, the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office said.