W.G. Jones Forest Fire Contained at 39.5 Acres

**Wildfire in W.G. Jones State Forest Contained After Burning Nearly 40 Acres Near Conroe**

**MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX – January 30, 2024** – A wildfire that sparked Monday afternoon in the W.G. Jones State Forest, just west of Interstate 45 near Conroe, was officially contained by Tuesday, January 30th, after burning approximately 39.5 acres. The blaze, initially reported on January 29th, prompted a rapid, multi-agency response, preventing any threat to structures and reporting no injuries.

Officials with the Texas A&M Forest Service (TAFMS) confirmed the containment Tuesday morning, bringing relief to the Montgomery/Conroe area. While early reports placed the fire within the larger Sam Houston National Forest, TAFMS clarified its location was specifically within the W.G. Jones State Forest, about a mile west of I-45 and south of Conroe, a vital urban forest managed by Texas A&M AgriLife.

“Thanks to the swift, coordinated efforts of our personnel and numerous local partners, we were able to bring this fire under control quickly,” said Art Milne, TAFMS Incident Commander for the incident. “The dry conditions we’ve been experiencing, even in winter, mean that fires can spread rapidly, but our integrated strategy proved highly effective.”

The fire, though significant in acreage for an urban forest, never posed a direct threat to any homes or businesses. Authorities reported no injuries to either firefighters or civilians during the containment operations.

The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office, under the leadership of Chief Jimmy Williams, played a critical role in providing aerial intelligence. Their drone deployment offered firefighters real-time views of the fire’s perimeter and hotspots, aiding TAFMS crews in strategically drawing dozer lines around the blaze. These firebreaks, created by bulldozers, remove fuel in a path to stop the fire’s forward progression.

Assisting TAFMS and the Fire Marshal’s Office were a substantial contingent of local volunteer fire departments, highlighting the robust inter-agency cooperation in Montgomery County. Crews from Magnolia, Montgomery, Lake Conroe, The Woodlands, Needham, and Caney Creek all responded to the scene, contributing personnel and equipment. The Montgomery County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office also provided support, assisting with scene safety and logistics.

The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation. Fire officials urge residents to exercise extreme caution with any outdoor burning, especially given the current dry conditions and occasional gusty winds that can easily ignite and spread wildfires, even outside traditional fire seasons.

The W.G. Jones State Forest is a 1,725-acre research and demonstration forest popular for recreation, just south of Conroe and west of I-45, making its preservation and protection a high priority for the community and environmental stakeholders.