Northwest County Volunteer Fire Department

03/17/2026

🚨 VOLUNTEERS WANTED 🚨

When a fire starts, a crash happens, or a neighbor calls for help… it’s your local volunteers who respond.

The Northwest County Volunteer Fire Department is looking for people willing to step up and serve their community.

🔥 No experience necessary
🔥 Opportunities for training and certifications
🔥 Serve your neighbors and protect your community
🔥 Be part of a strong team that has your back

You don’t have to be a career firefighter to make a difference.
You just have to be willing to answer the call.

If you live in Desert Haven, or surrounding areas, we want to hear from you.

👉 Apply today:
https://nwcvfd.org/join%2Fvolunteer

🚒 Northwest County Volunteer Fire Department🚒

03/15/2026

Yesterday at approximately 3:30 PM, Northwest County Fire was dispatched to assist Dell Valley Fire & Rescue with a reported structure fire that had spread into nearby brush and was threatening additional homes.

Chief 901 and Engine 910 responded to the scene. Upon arrival, crews were assigned to attack the rapidly advancing brush fire that was moving toward another residence. Engine 910 personnel, working alongside Sierra Blanca Fire, were able to stop the forward progress of the fire and successfully extinguish the brush fire before it could reach the nearby structure.

After the brush fire was contained, crews were reassigned to assist with overhaul operations and extinguishing remaining hot spots at the location of the original structure fire.

Unfortunately, the residence, several vehicles, and animal pens were a total loss. One injury was reported, along with the loss of household pets and some livestock. Crews remained on scene until approximately 7:30 PM.

In the aftermath of the fire, the local community quickly came together to support the affected family by providing shelter, clothing, and water and care for the remaining livestock.

Northwest County Fire would like to thank all agencies and community members who assisted during this incident, including Dell Valley EMS, DeDell Valley Volunteer Fire & RescueSiSierra Blanca volunteer fire departmentThe Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office, The Cornudas Cafe, and the many community members who stepped up to help during a difficult time.

03/13/2026

🔥 Fire Weather Outlook – Hudspeth County / Desert Haven Area 🔥

According to the latest forecast from the Texas A&M Forest Service, fire conditions across West Texas are expected to become more dangerous through the weekend.

For Hudspeth County and the Desert Haven area, fire danger is expected to increase significantly by Sunday, with much of the region forecast to reach very high to extreme fire danger due to dry surface fuels and post-frontal winds.

What this means for our community:
• Fires can start easily in dry grass and brush
• Fires may spread rapidly, especially with wind
• Outdoor burning and activities that create sparks should be avoided

Our department will be closely monitoring conditions and is prepared to respond if needed, but prevention is the best protection. Please help reduce wildfire risk by:

✔ Avoiding outdoor burning
✔ Properly disposing of ci******es
✔ Securing trailer chains and equipment that could create sparks
✔ Reporting smoke or fire immediately

With the dry conditions in our area and the lack of hydrants in much of Hudspeth County, early detection and quick reporting are critical.

Let’s all do our part to keep Desert Haven and the surrounding community safe this weekend.

🚒 If you see smoke or fire, report it immediately by calling 911.

03/13/2026

•The fire environment will feature a warming and drying trend going to Sunday before a strong cold enters the state, producing a strong post-frontal wind field Sunday afternoon. Little rainfall is expected statewide the next 7-days, however recent rainfall over the past 7-days has improved dead fuel moisture and is increasing herbaceous greenness for areas that received 1+ inch rainfall and will help limit fire potential.

•High drying of surface fuel is expected to occur going into Sunday for the Western third of the state that did not receive 1+ rainfall amounts over the past 7-days. Moderate potential for large wildfires with high resistance to control are possible Sunday in the High Plains, Caprock, western Rolling Plains, and Southern Plains predictive services areas when dry surface fuel is exposed to very high to extreme fire danger due to a long duration and strong post-frontal environment. Near to above normal fuel moisture and increased greenness of herbaceous fuel should result in low to moderate initial attack fire potential in the Cross Timbers, Eastern/Western Hill Country, Central Texas, North Texas, and Northeast Texas even when exposed to very high to extreme fire danger. Any fires that occur in these regions should have low resistance to control because of the higher dead and live fuel moisture.

•Monday will feature a cooler, but very dry post-frontal environment. Elevated to critical fire weather over dry surface fuel in far South Texas and the lower Gulf Coast will support moderate potential for initial attack fires and at least low potential for a large fire with high resistance to control. East and Central Texas may support low initial attack fire potential with low resistance to control.

•Confidence is high of a strong area of high pressure in the southwestern U.S. developing mid to late next week, promoting abnormally warm and dry conditions across Texas. Low to mid-90s are possible by the end of next week across the western Plains which could facilitate very high rates of drying in dead surface fuel and lowering the thresholds of fire weather needed to produce fire activity or fires with high resistance to control.

Additional details are posted in the Texas Fire Potential Update at: https://bit.ly/TexasFirePotentialUpdate.

03/12/2026

02/26/2026

Fire danger remains high.

High-to-Extreme fire danger continues across most of Texas.🔥

⛓️Secure trailer chains
🛑Avoid burning
📋Make an emergency plan

02/18/2026

From the GIS/Weather desk; we are officially under red flag conditions for fire weather for the first time in 2026. Hudspeth county is also under a burn ban until March. Please abide by the burn ban and use extreme caution when using potential ignition sources outdoors.

02/17/2026

Texas A&M Forest Service has raised the Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 3 due to unseasonably warm, dry conditions and freeze‑cured grasses that are expected to increase wildfire activity beginning today.

🔥 Rapidly drying vegetation in the High Plains today through Tuesday, combined with critical to locally extreme fire weather, will elevate fire danger and may make new starts difficult to control. Conditions are expected to remain elevated into Wednesday and expand toward the I‑35 corridor by Thursday.

We continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to respond to any requests for assistance.

For more about Preparedness Levels, visit https://bit.ly/3BtPfhw

02/16/2026

From the GIS/WEATHER desk spring like high winds and dry air will be in the area later this week. Please exercise caution if driving high profile vehicles. Also please note that a fire weather watch is being issued.

On Tuesday we will have strong winds, but are relative humidity values will be higher, but on Wednesday we will be drier with continued strong winds, so a Fire Weather Watch is in effect for much of the area on Wednesday.