JASPER, Texas — A Jasper resident helped save the day when he called 911 on the Shearwood Creek Fire that destroyed 6 homes, multiple structures and almost 4,000 acres.
Heath Cofty tells 12News he and his co-worker Kenny Peterson were at work when they noticed the start of a fire brewing along County Road 32.
When they pulled up they could see that the fire was as wide as their pickup truck.
They immediately called 911 but still wanted to do something while they waited for help.
"I live back here, so I tried to do what I can as quick as I could," said Cofty.
The two men grabbed shovels from the back of their work truck and started trying to fight the flames.
"We came over here and started throwing dirt on it and when it started climbing up the trees we realized we couldn't contain it," Cofty told 12News.
Cofty and Peterson watched as the fire grew bigger right before their eyes.
"It was grass and it started working its way towards the bushes. Then when the buses caught on fire, that's when we got out," Cofty said.
That's the moment when he knew he had to warn nearby residents to get out.
"The guy back there was real nice. He said I appreciate it and just turned around and got his family and pets and started heading out," said Cofty.
The Harmon family lives about a mile from where the fire ignited. It was a postal worker who warned the Harmon's that their home was in the path of the fire.
"It all just hit and we had about 10 or 15 minutes to get out. My son came running from his home we loaded up the animals and ran out. As we were leaving it was just a few minutes later we looked on the ring camera and it was just a wall of fire behind my house," said Gina Harmon.
The Harmons tell 12News that they are grateful for that postal worker and to Cofty for his quick action. His actions helped save lives and homes.
"This was a fire that we had never seen anything like it before. The flames got up to 300 feet tall so I'm just so thankful that they were able to act quickly, and know how dire the situation was," said Emily Harmon.
Jasper County Judge Mark Allen says as of Monday fire is 95% contained. The Texas A&M Forest Service and fire personnel will stay in the area a few more days to monitor the hot zone for any fire that could rekindle.