North Houston wildfire converted to controlled burn strategy

A wildfire began early Friday morning at Keith-Wiess Park in north Houston. The Houston Fire Department (HFD) responded to the scene around 9 a.m. The fire had spread across five acres of land. To prevent the fire from spreading further, officials decided to handle it as a controlled burn. This strategy allows the fire department to manage the situation safely. Residents nearby may experience heavy smoke due to the burn. The Houston Health Department is monitoring the air quality in the area. As a precaution, Keith-Wiess Park is closed to the public until further notice. The park is overgrown with vegetation and was already planned for a controlled burn next year. The burn operation is expected to finish by Friday evening. Meanwhile, the HFD Arson Division is investigating how the fire started.