Wildfire Burns Nearly 900 Acres At Big Bend National Park

Firefighters in West Texas continue to battle a blaze that has been burning at Big Bend National Park for the last six days.

The wildfire has burned at least 873 acres as of Tuesday morning, the park said on social media.

The cause of the fire is unknown but it is believed to have started near a popular backcountry campsite on Thursday, April 8.

Fire crews are using helicopters to dump water on the flames and track the fire. About 88 firefighters are actively working to put out the fire. The group include Diablos Firefighters, Mexican nationals who live south of the Rio Grande but work with the national park during emergencies.

The fire has moved through the "sky island" of the Chisos Mountains. By Monday night, two-thirds of the fire stagnated after moving up the rocky terrain and cliff edges.

“The Chisos Mountain woodlands are home to a variety of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the United States,” park officials said in a news release. “These high-elevation desert woodlands have been shaped by wildfire for thousands of years and depend upon fire to keep them healthy and resilient. Many of the areas currently burning have not seen fire for 70 years or more.”

The Chisos Mountain area of the park is closed to visitors until further notice.

Photo: Big Bend National Park