Progress Made Against Central Texas Wildfire

As of Oct. 19, about 70 percent of a wildfire that has burned thousands of acres in Central Texas had been contained, officials said.

Some 275 firefighters were assisted by at least seven aircraft dumping water and fire retardant on the Hidden Pines Fire in Bastrop County, about 40 miles southeast of Austin.

No injuries have been reported, but some 7 square miles have burned and 50 homes and seven businesses have been lost in the blaze that broke out last week. .

More people are being allowed to return to their property, particularly at the northern end of the fire area, Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering said.

He also reminded residents that his officers have been writing citations against people who have refused to comply with a burn ban order, despite the high fire danger and “a major wildfire going on.”

“I just want to re-emphasize that,” he said. One woman was arrested and jailed Sunday after she refused to sign her citation, he said.

About 400 homes have been evacuated since Oct. 13 when, according to a preliminary investigation, a farmer mistakenly started the fire as he dragged a shredder through tall grass, causing an overheated bearing to ignite grass clippings.

Steve Pollock with the Texas A&M Forest Service says a concern for firefighters is hotspots that are seemingly extinguished but then flare up again, causing further damage.

More than 200 utility workers hoping to restore power also were working to mark and clear fire-damaged trees that threatened to fall on electric lines.

The fire has torched much of the same area that was devastated in 2011 by a far more extensive wildfire that was fanned by 50 mph winds, wiping out 1,600 homes and killing two people.