SPRING BRANCH, Texas — The property owner in Spring Branch where a fire has been burning for days said he is suing a former tenant. The owner claims the tenant left behind the wood that caught fire.
The fire started Saturday at a three-acre site that had been cleared for future construction on Hollister Road. The Houston Fire Department said piles of large mulch, tree debris, logs stacked up to 15 feet high, and live trees burned. Lovett Commercial, the property owner, sent KHOU an update on the fire stating the tract of land adjacent to Cedar Brook Elementary was previously leased to a local compost hauling operation. They say wood material stored at the site ignited.
The smoke in the area irritated neighbors who said ash had been falling from the sky for days now. Many of them said they were concerned about the health effects and claimed they couldn't even escape the smoke when they were inside their homes.
On Thursday, a town hall meeting was packed with residents who all had the same question: When will the fire be extinguished?
Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña said it could take two to three weeks to put the fire out. The Houston Health Department said on Friday it is monitoring the air quality in the area near Hollister and Hammerly.
Since Saturday, residents nearby have been dealing with the sounds of equipment, fire trucks, and smoke around the clock.
Resident Taylor Elson said he and his 5-month-old daughter are not able to enjoy the amenities around their home.
“We spend quite a bit of time walking around the neighborhood, with my daughter and the dog making sure they get exercise, we haven’t been able to do that for obvious reasons,” Elson said.
While Peña said it could take up to three weeks to put out the fire, the property owner claims the fire is expected to burn out completely “in the coming days.” Those are different timelines than what residents like Elson have heard previously.
“We were told it would be out on Thursday, so here we are on Friday," Elson said. "So, hopefully over the course of the weekend, the crews will continue to work, HFD will continue their investigation and we’ll keep progressing every day.”
HFD’s Arson Bureau is involved and the cause of the fire has not been determined.
According to the Houston Health Department, the fire does not appear to be generating significant emergency room visits.
The Health Department said it is monitoring air quality for PM 2.5 and volatile organic compounds. The EPA said PM 2.5, or particulate matter, is generally 2.5 micrometers or smaller.
The Health Department’s air quality monitoring has shown that the levels of PM 2.5 may have been in excess of what the Environmental Protection Agency considers potentially harmful for exposure during a 24-hour period in some areas, but this has not been consistent and depends on weather conditions.
Spring Branch ISD said two campuses near the fire have sent email updates to families this week. The district said in a statement, the district’s chief of police is in touch with HFD and its city council member.
“We have modified our HVAC building operations to reduce circulating outside air. We continue to monitor this situation,” the district said.