VIDEO: A home in the Fourth Ward's historic Freedmen's Town neighborhood caught fire overnight. Conditions were difficult as Houston firefighters had to brave the heat and humidity, along with the actual fire, at a row house on Gillette Street at Victor Street. A video from an ABC13 viewer shows flames shooting up from the back of the historic home. Officials said despite the aggressive attack needed from firefighters, things ended up much better than they could have. The damage was contained to the backyard of the home. Firefighters said they were able to quickly extinguish the flames because the station was close by, there were no cars parked on the narrow street, and a fire hydrant was nearby. An HFD district chief said they were a little concerned as they approached the fire and saw large columns of smoke.  

PHOTOS: Firefighters are investigating after a vacant school building in Fort Worth caught fire two days in a row. The fires were reported Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon on opposite ends of the old R. Vickery School building in the city's Glenwood neighborhood. Photos shared by the Fort Worth Fire Department showed the building's east wing engulfed in flames Tuesday night. The department said firefighters quickly searched the burning building for anyone who may have been trapped. They rescued a dog that was later reunited with its owner. On Wednesday afternoon, a fire on the west side of the building produced heavy smoke as it spread to multiple floors. Thankfully, no one was inside, and no one was injured. The fire department said the abandoned building is well-known to fire crews.  

Firefighting crews across Central Texas have been hard at work. Numerous fires have impacted residents near Austin, including the Parmer Lane Fire in Cedar Park. Twenty-four apartment units were ruled a total loss after that fire, and several others were damaged. Crews have worked non-stop to put out the flames, and officials say it's now 90% contained. Residents have shared their praise for the crews that've been working on the Parmer Lane Fire. "I cannot wrap my head around how quickly they got this thing under control," said Cedar Park resident Rob Solis, "I think there was 20 different fire departments from all around Austin, even southeast Austin, Pflugerville, Georgetown, but this entire area was filled with cops and with fire trucks pretty immediately."  

Multiple agencies are responding to a large fire in Granjeno. According to the Hidalgo County Fire Marshal Homero Garza, the fire is on U.S. Fish and Wildlife property. It is believed to have been a wildfire that got out of control. "The wind was a major factor," Everardo Villarreal, Hidalgo County Commissioner with Precinct 3 said. Other agencies, including the Mission Fire Department, Weslaco Fire Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife services are now assisting to contain the fire. As of 8:30 p.m., the fire is 95 percent contained, the City of Mission stated in a press release. The fire affected up to 975 acres of property. Residents in the area are being advised to evacuate. The evacuation is not mandatory. Residents affected by the fire can shelter at Mission Parks and Recreation Building located on 721 Bryan Rd.  

VIDEO: A heartfelt video about a Coral Springs-Parkland firefighter who beat cancer has won a prestigious Telly Award. Produced by the City of Coral Springs Communications and Marketing Department, Driver Engineer Brian Hobson was presented with the award on August 3. A survivor of thyroid cancer, considered occupational for firefighters, Hobson was diagnosed early and treated quickly after an annual Life Scan physical – a comprehensive medical test covered by the city for all first responders. Diagnosed on November 30, 2020, Hobson was treated at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. "When I got the news after the biopsy, everything changed. I never thought at 37 I would be told I have cancer," he said in the video. After the surgery, he had numbness in his face and neck and got tired easily.  

PHOTOS: Cañon City Area Fire Protection District's shiny new Headquarters & Fire Station No. 3 is state-of-the-art, contemporary and, frankly, a long-time coming. What personnel and administrators value most, they say, is its functionality. The new nearly $12 million facility, located at 3016 E. Main St., officially began taking calls on July 31. "It came out fantastic, really, the station itself," said Chief David DelVecchio. "We tried to be as cost-effective as possible, but I think the station – functionality-wise – is going to be great for us, the admin side, the training room, the meeting room, those are all things we really needed to be successful as a fire district here in the community." Assistant Chief Scott Johnson likes the more modern training facility. "We found the space that we never had," he said.  

During the attack at the Covenant School, emergency calls to 911 show at least one teacher stepped into the hallway after hearing alarms go off, thinking it could be a fire drill. One proposal in Tennessee's upcoming special legislative session would change how schools react when the alarm sounds. According to the bill, HB7002, guns fired inside a school could produce smoke that sets off fire alarms. "The protocol in most communities, in most schools, is that the kids line up and immediately go through their fire drill. I mean, that's what they're trained on," said House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, the bill's sponsor. But he said some districts have policies requiring teachers to try to determine what caused the fire alarm to go off before evacuating. His proposal would require all schools to adopt a policy like that.  

PHOTOS: After three years of raising money, the Vintage Fire Museum's capital campaign has been completed with over $600,000 contributed for the purchase and restoration of its building. The museum, at 706 Spring St., Jeffersonville, has been at its location since 2020. It had been at other sites, including just across the street from the current spot. To celebrate the purchase and success of the capital campaign, the museum will host an event at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20. The event is free to the public and residents are encouraged to attend to celebrate the cause. "The building is purchased and paid for, the renovations were taken care of and paid for," said Curtis Peters, the Vintage Fire Museum's board chair. "All of that has been done, leaving no debt with this at all." Fred Conway's personal collection, which he started in the 1970s, lead to the creation of the museum.  

There is something about watching firefighters work that is naturally dramatic and exciting to witness. Life and death situations, danger, physical feats, and the men and women working hard in service of others make for a powerful combination. Which perhaps is why firefighters make for great TV. Audiences cannot get enough of firefighters on television, and some fantastic pulse-racing, heart-wrenching firefighter shows have been produced over the years. Of course, they may not all be 100 percent realistic and often feature heavy doses of romantic entanglements and drama within the firehouses. Nevertheless, it's hard to resist these shows, and fans keep coming back for more.