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Unit 12 Middle Fire (Texas)

Active · 50% contained · 3,000 acres · started 2026-09-08 · updated 2026-09-09

Unit 12 Middle Fire (Texas) — NASA satellite

Satellite image: NASA MODIS (infrared — active fire in orange/red, from yesterday).

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location
30 Miles S from Beaumont, TX
Cause
Natural
Personnel
10
Complexity
Type 4 Incident
Fuel
Tall Grass (2.5 feet)
Behavior
Active, Smoldering
Jurisdiction
USFWS · Federal land

Burning across 3,000 acres of federal land in Jefferson County, the active Unit 12 Middle Fire is located 30 miles south of Beaumont, Texas. Responding to the natural-cause fire, which started on September 8, 2026, are 10 personnel operating under a Type 4 Incident management structure. Current fire behavior is characterized as active and smoldering within tall grass fuels measuring 2.5 feet in height. Satellites have detected 19 heat signatures near the perimeter over the past 48 hours, indicating the extent of the spread.

The USFWS oversees the incident, which has reached 50 percent containment with suppression costs tallied at $10,000. This fire occurs within a regional season that typically spans from June to October. Nationally, the broader context shows 3,195,047 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a figure 42% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Texas for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 3,000 acres — about 12 km². About 50% of the perimeter is contained — over half is secured, though hotspots remain.

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.

The bigger picture in United States

Across United States, roughly 3,195,047 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 42% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

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