(Palo Pinto, Tx) – Investigators believe the cause of this month’s 500 acre Possum Kingdom wildfire was a trash can.

Firefighters say a wind gust blew the lid off a trash can near FM 1148 and Hawkins Rd.  The trash can was reportedly filled with glass bottles and paper goods.  Once the lid was gone, they say the intense heat from the sun magnified through the glass bottles and set the paper on fire.

The flames spread from there to the grass and continued to burn for a week before getting under control.  Five homes and a few outbuildings were lost, but no injuries.

Firefighters say separating the trash and putting a rock on top of the lid could have prevented the fire.