Austin, Texas The prescribed burn started at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Smith said. A prescribed burn has been done there twice since a wildfire in 2011 that destroyed more than 34,000 acres and nearly 1,700 homes. This is the second time it has been done there.
Some people were forced to leave their homes in the city of Bastrop, which was the site of a deadly fire more than a decade ago. Officials say a “prescribed burn” may be to blame.
Reporters were told by Bastrop County and local fire management officials Tuesday nite that while it was too early to say for sure what caused the fire, it was most likely linked to the planned 150-acre prescribed burn in Bastrop County State Park.
People in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Carter Smith say that “we think embers from a prescribed fire are likely to have started a fire that started outside of the park.”
There had been a warning about wildfire risks from the county. Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape said that fire management officials followed the rules for “planned burns.”
About 640 acres of land have been burned.
The Texas Forest Service says that the fire is 10% contained.
No one has been hurt or killed.
“Based on what they knew this morning, it was the right time to burn.” Some things happen that we don’t expect, and no one can predict the weather more than 15 minutes ahead of time.
They said that wind speeds in Austin were between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts of between 30 and 40 mph.
There are a lot of fire and public safety agencies in Texas that are working to stop the fire and protect homes. Officials told people to follow any evacuation orders and to stay away from the area.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative said that the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management asked the utility to “de-energize power lines serving 348 members in an area along Texas 21.” This was to make sure that the area was safe for emergency crews and residents.
Evacuations are taking place near Bastrop because of a “very active fire” that hasn’t been contained at all.
“Based on what they knew this morning, it was the right time to burn.” Some things happen that we don’t expect, and no one can predict the weather more than 15 minutes ahead of time.
They said that wind speeds in Austin were between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts of between 30 and 40 mph.
There are a lot of fire and public safety agencies in Texas that are working to stop the fire and protect homes. Officials told people to follow any evacuation orders and to stay away from the area.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative said that the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management asked the utility to “de-energize power lines serving 348 members in an area along Texas 21.” This was to make sure that the area was safe for emergency crews and residents.
People were not allowed to fly over the park. Firefighters could still use the area above the park to get help, tho. A lot of local roads were closed to cars.
A lot of wind and unusually warm temperatures, with a high of almost 80 degrees, are expected on Wednesday. There is a chance of rain and a cooldown on Thursday.
