Guadalupe Mountains Wildfire
A wildfire named “El Capitan” is continuing to burn at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
The fire swelled to 500 acres at one point, but new reports are showing the fire is now 50-percent contained. Fire crews battling the blaze from hard-to-reach spots in the mountains have not yet returned to the base camp for the latest update from on-the-ground.
“The flames whipped up under the mountain, then just started to spread, fast,” East El Paso Park Ranger Hector Zubia said.
The fire started on Saturday, ignited from a lightening strike, then continued to grow, from drought conditions and consistent winds.
El Capitan’s spread was halted Monday, due to low-level winds, but it is by no means squashed.
Tuesday, park rangers say, is the moment of truth. A red flag warning has been issued for the Guadalupe Mountains beginning tomorrow. The Guadalupe Mountains are considered the windiest place in Texas.
