Hydra Fire, Meridian, Texas — Map & Containment

Hydra Fire, Meridian, Texas — Sentinel-2 true color

Hydra Fire, Meridian, Texas — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True view Fire view

⟷

True view (left): as the eye sees it.
Fire view (right): infrared (SWIR), sees through smoke and brings out the heat.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 brown = already burned
🟠 orange = fire right now

Drag to compare: normal photo on the left, heat brought out on the right.

Green: vegetationBrown: already burnedOrange: fire right nowSentinel-2 · Copernicus

Key facts

Source: NIFC

Location3 miles south of Meridian, TX

What's burningBrush (2 feet)

How it's behavingMinimalSmoldering — Burning without flame, in the ground or in roots. Can flare up days later.Running — Runs along the ground much faster than a person walks.

ComplexityType 4 IncidentOfficial scale from 5 to 1: a Type 1 is the most complex in the country.

JurisdictionSFS · Private land

Glossary: what each term means

Minimal

Barely moving. Low, thin smoke.

Smoldering

Burning without flame, in the ground or in roots. Can flare up days later.

Creeping

Moves slowly, hugging the ground.

Moderate

Spreads with low, steady flames.

Active

Spreading evenly and steadily, with visible flame.

Extreme

Fast and unpredictable.

Running

Runs along the ground much faster than a person walks.

Flanking

Grows along the sides, not head-on.

Backing

Moves against the wind or downhill, which makes it slower.

Crowning

Climbs into the treetops and jumps crown to crown. It can't be attacked from the ground.

Short Crown Runs

Climbs into the crowns in bursts and drops back down.

Torching

Whole trees flaring up like torches.

Isolated Torching

Single scattered trees flaring up whole, like torches.

Group Torching

Whole clumps of trees flaring at once.

Spotting

Wind carries embers through the air and starts new fires ahead of the front: that is how a fire jumps a road or a firebreak.

Wind Driven Runs

The wind pushes it in long runs in one direction.

The ones marked ● are the behaviors that make a fire harder to stop. They are not a warning or an instruction: they are the description written by the agency in charge. For decisions, always follow your emergency services.

The story so far

After burning for 45 days and averaging about 21 acres per day of growth, the Hydra Fire near Meridian, Texas, in Bosque County has ended. The Type 4 Incident, which began on September 14, 2026, charred a total of 933 acres of private brush land that stood roughly two feet tall. During its long run, the fire was managed by 62 personnel from SFS as it exhibited minimal, smoldering, and running behavior.

By the time operations concluded, response teams had successfully brought the incident to 99 percent containment. Recent satellite tracking over the final 48 hours detected just 1 heat signature near the area, reflecting the diminished activity of the fire. The typical fire season in the region runs from June to October. Across the country, 3,473,090 hectares have burned so far in 2026, which is 37 percent below the two-decade average.