Church in Ferris narrowly misses major damage from Dallas County grass fire
Ferris church narrowly avoids severe fire damage
A church in Ferris was on the precipice of destruction from a grass fire, but firefighters were able to put the fire out mere yards away from the church's main building. FOX 4's Shaun Rabb has more.
FERRIS, Texas - A grass fire in Dallas County came within several dozen yards of a Baptist church in Ferris, but miraculously, the church sustained no structural damage.
Dallas County grass fire
What we know:
On Thursday, August 27, at around 5:20 p.m., a grass fire broke out near I-45 and West Malloy Bridge Road in Dallas County.
The grass fire reached 65 acres in nearby Wilmer and Ferris before first responders were able to get the fire under control.
First responders from Dallas County, Hutchins, Bristol, Ferris, Wilmer, and Dallas Fire, among others, helped contain the fire.
Church avoids fire damage
Local perspective:
The grass fire burned 65 acres of mostly grass, but one structure near the blaze was miraculously spared.
Patrick Baptist Church in Ferris did not suffer any structural damage despite being located on the precipice of the fire, which reached as close as 30 yards away from the church's main building before it was stopped.
Grass around a propane tank on the church's property was surrounded by fire, but did not explode or suffer any damage itself.
What they're saying:
"We got here, and we saw a giant wall of smoke and fire coming our way," says Tyler Poole, the pastor at Patrick Baptist Church. "We knew we needed to get out of here as quickly as possible."
Poole evacuated his family and churchgoers around 4:30 p.m., but stayed at the church as the wildfire inched closer.
"I could barely see the firefighters themselves. That's when I decided I needed to leave."
Tyler Poole
He says he found out his church was safe from Sky 4 aerial footage of the fire. Poole says he and other churchgoers were praying that the building would be spared.
"A lot of the church members congregated at my grandparent's house, and we were praying together. Our prayer was, ‘God, we want you to spare the property. However, if you don't or if you do, give us an opportunity to use this to tell people about you'."
North Texas grass fires
Ross Fire now 2nd largest wildfire in North Texas
The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack counties has claimed 85,000 acres and is now the second-largest wildfire ever in North Texas. At last check, it was 26% contained.
The fire in Dallas County on Thursday was one of several major fires seen across the region this week.
The ongoing Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County is now the second-largest grass fire in the region's history.
Just an hour or so before the Dallas County fire broke out, the Corky Fire in Van Zandt County east of Dallas burned 400 acres before it was contained.
The Source: Information in this story comes from an interview with the pastor of Patrick Baptist Church in Ferris and previous FOX 4 reporting.