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Concerns over wildfires in Mexico threatening Valley land

Concerns over wildfires in Mexico threatening Valley land
1 month 6 days 13 hours ago Tuesday, March 18 2025 Mar 18, 2025 March 18, 2025 9:48 PM March 18, 2025 in News - Local

Bob and Cate Bowman were spending their Saturday on the Salineño Wildlife Preserve near Roma when they came across a wildfire on the other side of the border.

“We started hearing crackling sounds so we walked down to the river, and essentially this whole shoreline along the preserve here was on fire,” Bob said.

The Bowmans said they saw wildlife trying to get to safety, and captured video of a deer swimming across the border. 

Wildlife and plant enthusiasts said they’re worried fires in Mexico could cross the border. On Monday, a wildfire that originated in Tamaulipas spread to Alamo near the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge.

RELATED STORY: Brush fire near wildlife refuge in Alamo contained

“Most of the wildland fires that we've had have crossed over from Mexico,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Thamara Flores said.

Flores said the agency is in constant contact with fire departments across the Rio Grande Valley and in Mexico. They’ve also been preparing wildlife refuges for potential fires, and have called in extra firefighters from Rockport. 

“We know that once it touches fish and wildlife property, it's probably gonna spread,” Flores said.

Channel 5 News spoke with Eduardo Rodriguez Cuellar, the fire chief in the Mexican city of Camargo, located south of Rio Grande City.

Cuellar said his crew battled four wildfires on Tuesday, and they're asking residents to be mindful of fire risks.

“More than anything, we're just asking people not to burn anything,” Cuellar said, adding that many fires there have started on farms. 

“Here, farmers are used to burning land to prepare it for their crops. That has also started wildfires here," Cuellar said.

Watch the video above for the full story.   

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