The Year in Review

September

The Apache Pass wildfire grew from about 200 acres to about 18,000 acres in about 2 days because of wind. Extremely dry conditions in the scablands and plenty of dry grass for fuel contributed to the blaze. All available firefighters from the Odessa area responded the the blaze, which at its closest point to Odessa was burning about 12 miles north of town. The fire burned a lot of range land and fence posts north of Odessa, so the herds didn't have enough grazing land and some areas were without fences and the cattle were free to roam at will.

Despite the possibility of smoke from th...