HELOTES, Texas -- A team of professional firefighters Saturday morning hired to put out a massive mulch fire in Helotes began dousing it with water.

Fire experts wielding heavy-duty nozzles sprayed 4,000 gallons of water per minute on the massive mulch fire.

The mound spewed smoke and ash for miles, prompting the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to shut down parts of fm 1560.

"Probably the next two, three, or four days you'll have intermittent smoke," said Terry Clawson, a member of the TCEQ.

Weather was both a help and a hindrance.

While showers aided the fight, lightning brought it to a halt.

"Contractors reported a couple of very close lighting strikes, so they shut down for safety reason," Clawson said.

For residents seeking refuge from the smoke, the Red Cross set up a shelter at Rawlinson Middle School, complete with food, cots, and a medical response team on standby.

"We're hoping people show up, even if it's just for the day, to get away from that," said Mac McNell with the American Red Cross.

The shelter will be open all evening. People are asked to bring bedding and any medication they may be taking.