ALTO - Ashes cover the ground of Highway 294 in Alto. Officials say the small two lane highway has become the battle ground for fire crews to fight a fire that's burnt approximately 1800 acres.
We're told the fire started after a landowner drove on to his property to refill a deer feeder. When he parked his truck, officials say, the tall grass under his vehicle caught fire, and the flames spread rapidly even jumping the highway.
"Approximately 14-15 hundred acres north of Highway 294 probably 300 acres to the best of my knowledge on the south side of 294."
Officials tell us they were fighting another fire in cherokee county when they got the call sunday afternoon and driving upon the scene, they were blown away.
An officials from the Texas Forest Service tells KETK ."I could see the fire from the northern part of Cherokee County from one end of the county to the southern end of the county it was no problem seeing the smoke column coming up."
Omie Cooper lives in Alto, she tell's KETK, she's worried about just how bad things could get.
"I know a lot of people around and I hate to see anybody lose anything."
Crews say they will continue to keep the fire from spreading but with the high winds in East Texas, it's going to be a tall order.
"One spark in the wrong direction and we're going to be chasing it again."