Meridian officials ordered a mandatory evacuation Tuesday as a wildfire burning nearby grew to 1,000 acres, forcing residents from their homes and prompting the city to scrap its evening council meeting. The small Bosque County community, located about 65 miles south of Fort Worth, scrambled to get people out safely as the fire continued to spread through the area.
The evacuation order and the fire's growth to 1,000 acres were confirmed by officials, according to CBS News. The Texas A&M Forest Service reported the blaze was 10% contained as of Tuesday, offering at least a partial foothold for crews working to keep it from spreading further.
For residents with nowhere else to go, the Clifton Civic Center was the evacuation shelter by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Those without a way to get there were told to call 254-709-3761 or 936-333-3961 for transportation assistance, the station's report notes.
Council Meeting Called Off As Response Continues
With emergency crews focused on the fire and the evacuation underway, Meridian canceled its Tuesday evening council meeting, according to the same account. City officials have not released additional details on the cause of the fire or how many homes or residents may be affected, and those specifics remain unknown as the response continues.
A Volatile Summer For North Texas Wildfires
Meridian's fire comes weeks after a far larger blaze tore through Palo Pinto County. The Ross Fire ignited the afternoon of August 24 and exploded to roughly 50,000 acres with just 8% containment within a day, according to US News. Officials attributed that fire's explosive spread to high temperatures and gusty winds, and at least five structures were destroyed, per the outlet's reporting.
By August 26, the Ross Fire had grown to 80,000 acres with containment up to 12%, according to mysanantonio.com. Highway 180 was shut down between South FM 4 and FM 919 during the response, and an evacuation center was set up at the Twin Lakes Community Activity Center in Jacksboro, that outlet reported. Notably, the Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Office had initially described its evacuation as strongly encouraged rather than mandatory before conditions worsened.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said FEMA would provide resources to help battle the Ross Fire, US News reported. That fire unfolded alongside a nationwide surge in wildfire activity, with the National Interagency Fire Center reporting more than 50,000 wildfires so far in 2026, the most for that point in the year over the past decade, per the same source.
Meanwhile, the Hawk Fire in Nevada had destroyed at least 47 homes across roughly 23 square miles and reached 85% containment by that Tuesday evening, according to US News, underscoring how widespread this year's fire activity has been across the West and Southwest. CBS News says it will provide updates on the Meridian fire as more information becomes available.
