Ross

Ross Fire fully contained as crews finish mop-up operations

The Ross Fire across Palo Pinto and Jack counties is fully contained and poses no threat to surrounding communities today. Over the last 72 hours, firefighters secured containment lines down to bare mineral soil and extinguished residual interior heat. Suppression operations have wrapped up and outside mutual aid resources have been released.

Evacuations and Closures

• No evacuation orders or warnings are in effect as of September 16, 2026.

Impact

No civilian deaths or serious injuries were reported during the incident. The fire damaged and destroyed multiple homes, ranch outbuildings, boundary fencing, and facilities at the historic Worth Ranch Scouting camp along the Brazos River, in addition to agricultural livestock losses.

Conditions and Outlook

Warm and dry conditions will continue over the area, with south to south-southeasterly winds turning gustier heading into the weekend alongside lower humidity levels. Crews plan to maintain regular patrols and use infrared monitoring along the perimeter to locate and extinguish lingering heat. Firefighters will monitor any interior flare-ups to ensure the fire stays strictly within established lines.

Cause and Context

State and local investigators determined the wildfire was human-caused, starting along U.S. Highway 180 near Palo Pinto from roadside vehicle or equipment use.

Official updates current through September 17, 2026.