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February 10, 2012
San Marcos firefighters extinguish blaze at billiards hall
SAN MARCOS — Firefighters extinguished an early morning fire at Gold Crown Billiards Friday, city officials said.
After responding to the scene around 2:30 a.m., firefighters found a “significant fire” near and where the billiards hall cools its kegs, according to the city.
The cause of the fire and extent of the damage is still unknown. City spokeswoman Melissa Millecam said the investigation is ongoing.
February 7, 2012
Leander fire under control, official says
A fire that sparked in Leander earlier this afternoon is under control, officials said.
Fire crews from Leander and Liberty Hill responded to a call at 1:18 p.m. about a fire in the 700 block of River Run in Leander.
“It started out as a control burn and it got a little bit out of control,” said Gene Smith, a Williamson County Emergency Communications spokesman. “Everything’s taken care of now as far as I can tell.”
February 4, 2012
Cameron house destroyed in early morning fire
A house was destroyed at about 4:37 a.m. in Cameron, according to the police department.
Police dispatcher Cathy Pratt said no one was at home because the house, located on the 500 block of East Fourth Street, was being remodeled. There were no injuries, she said.
Pratt said the fire’s cause is still unknown though officials don’t believe it was caused by a lightning strike.
February 3, 2012
Second fire of the day out in Round Rock
A fire that ignited in a Round Rock office building this afternoon is out, Round Rock spokesman Will Hampton said.
The fire, in an office building still under construction in the 1100 block of Louis Henna Drive, was accidentally started by a welder working on the roof, Hampton said.
“Guys were able to get up there and put it out within a half hour,” he said.
Damage is estimated at $50,000.
The fire was the second to spark in Round Rock Friday. A fire Friday morning destroyed the office of an automotive business in the 1800 block of Interstate 25 North. Damage is estimated at $25,000.
There were no injuries in either fire.
February 1, 2012
Cedar Park Fire Department: No fire at middle school
Cedar Park Middle School students are being let back into the building after being evacuated when a heat pump malfunctioned earlier this afternoon, causing smoke to set off an alarm, officials said.
Crews were called to the school at 12:49 p.m., but were on the scene for less than 30 minutes, Cedar Park Fire Department Assistant Chief James Mallinger said. Fire crews worked with Leander School District employees to determine there was no fire in the building, which was filled with haze after the heat pump malfunctioned, Mallinger said.
Mallinger said all fire units have cleared the scene.
January 9, 2012
Man charged with starting fire at Occupy Austin camp
Police have arrested a man accused of starting a fire early Thursday at the Occupy Austin camp outside of City Hall.
Robert Alex Mittenholzer, 29, was charged with criminal mischief and bail was set at $5,000, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Witnesses told police they heard Mittenholzer saying he was going to build a bonfire to keep warm and that it would be OK because “this was a concrete jungle,” the affidavit said. Firefighters arrived at the area about 3:15 a.m. and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, the document said.
Damage to the property was estimated at $5,700, according to court records.
In a news release, Occupy Austin said the man was not involved with its movement and that several demonstrators had requested that the police arrest or remove him from the area earlier in the evening.
Organizers said they hoped Austin Police would be more responsive to the medical, psychiatric and shelter needs of the indigent community.
“Numerous incidents of non-Occupy individuals threatening violence and/or damaging Occupy and City property have been met with little response from police who are often not found on the outside premises but are staying inside the building,” the statement said.
January 7, 2012
Firefighters attacking grass fire in East Austin
Plumes of smoke that are billowing into the sky this afternoon in East Austin are coming from a grass fire, according to the Austin Fire Department.
Captain Marc Saenz said at about 4:15 p.m. that firefighters were on the scene of the fire, near Bolm Road and Airport Boulevard.
He said that grass burns quickly but that the fire has not been upgraded to a brush fire.
Saenz said he did not immediately know when the fire started or how big it is.
January 5, 2012
Man arrested in Christmas Day boat fire
UPDATE 5 P.M.: Sawyer has been arrested and is in custody at the Travis County Jail with bond set at $20,000.
EARLIER: Austin Fire Department arson investigators have arrested a man suspected of starting a fire at a boat dock on Lady Bird Lake on Christmas Day.
Matthew Ryan Sawyer, 20, has been charged with criminal mischief, a first-degree felony. He is not in custody, according to jail records.
According to an arrest affidavit, firefighters were dispatched to a large fire at the boat docks just north of the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Lady Bird Lake about 2 p.m. Christmas Day. They found a two-story party boat owned by Capital Cruises fully engulfed in flames. The fire spread to an adjoining dock, and damaged two other nearby boats. Damage from the fire was estimated at more than $200,000, the affidavit said.
The owner of Capital Cruises later told investigators that during a cleanup, he found several items on one of the smaller boats that had been removed from a larger boat, the affidavit said. That included some alcohol, soda cans, and sterno cans, a type of fuel designed to be burned directly from the can for heating purposes. He also found a cordless phone normally located on the smaller boat, the affidavit said.
Using the phone, investigators traced calls made on the days leading up to the fire to two cell phones in Seguin, the affidavit said. The cell phones were owned by Sawyer’s parents, the affidavit said, and they admitted to getting calls from him before the fire.
Investigators spoke to Sawyer, who told them he had been sleeping inside the smaller boat and broke into the larger one to get some supplies, the affidavit said. He was using the sterno cans for warmth, the affidavit said. On Christmas Day, Sawyer spilled some of the fuel from the sterno can onto a table cloth, and when he lit the can for warmth, a fire spread across the boat, the affidavit said.
Before the fire on the large boat occurred, Sawyer spilled the contents of the sterno can onto a tarp covering the smaller boat, which caused a fire when he lit it, the affidavit said.
Sawyer told investigators he panicked when the fire started spreading and ran away from the boat, the affidavit said. He remained at the scene until firefighters arrived, then took a bus to South Austin.
Candle blamed in Round Rock house fire
A house fire in Round Rock on Wednesday evening was caused by a burning candle igniting nearby paper products, the city of Round Rock said today. The fire in the 2100 block of Zephyr Lane was contained to the master bathroom of the house, the city said.
The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage, according to the city.
The Round Rock Fire Department arrived at the scene at 6:34 p.m. Wednesday and had the fire contained in seven minutes.
December 30, 2011
Smoke detectors key in saving southeastern Travis home, official says
Update:
Travis County fire marshal’s office investigators have determined that decorative lights left on a dry Christmas tree triggered a fire early this morning fire at a southeastern Travis County home.
The fire caused damage to the home, but a linked smoke detector system was key in staving off further damage or injury to the homeowner, officials said.
“The occupant in the structure was fortunately awoken by working smoke alarms. The occupant was able to escape without injury through a bedroom window,” a statement from the fire marshal’s office said. “This is a staunch reminder of the importance of having working smoke alarms and how they can be the difference between life and death.”
Investigators determined that the fire started at a Christmas tree at the home that had not been watered for several days with lighting still left on, the office said.
The fire marshal’s office wanted to also remind area residents of the importance of continuing to water holiday trees and turning off lights after extended use.
“After Christmas, dried-out trees become a fire danger and should be removed from your home,” the office said.
Earlier:
A linked smoke alarm helped in avoiding a worse outcome from a fire at a southeastern Travis County home early this morning, an official said.
The fire occurred about 3:20 a.m. at the residence at 12061 Von Quintus Road near Texas 130, said Chief Ken Bailey for the Travis County Fire Rescue department, also known as Emergency Service District No. 11.
As the fire burned in one room where a smoke detector was located, it triggered a linked detector near the sleeping homeowner. The man was able to escape through a bedroom window without injury and call 911, Bailey said.
The man’s wife and children were not home at the time of the fire, he said.
“The homeowner was awaken by the smoke alarm. Otherwise, the outcome would not have been the same,” Bailey said. Also, “we are thankful the rest of his family was gone.”
The fire was initially called a two-alarm fire because of extensive smoke, but was downgraded after the first responding crew arrived, Bailey said. The fire was quickly extinguished, and caused $25,000 to $30,000 in damage, which was mostly confined to the interior of the home and contents.
December 29, 2011
Fire damages Kyle store and restaurant, injures one
An early morning fire has damaged a Kyle store and restaurant, and left a man who lived there injured, a Hays County sheriff’s official said.
The fire occurred before 5 a.m. at the Un Dollar y Mas restaurant and store in the 2800 block of Goforth Road in Kyle.
“The business is a combination store and restaurant in which the owners live in the building as well,” Lt. Dennis Gutierrez said in a statement. A man who lived at the store “was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio with burns to both arms.”
The severity of those injuries were not immediately known.
Other occupants were able to leave the structure and no other injuries were reported, Gutierrez said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, he said.
December 27, 2011
Man charged in weekend arson at former nightclub
A man has been charged with arson after police said he started a small fire inside the vacant downtown building once home to Charlie’s Austin Nightclub.
Garrett Block, 20, is in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $5,000.
Authorities responded to a call for a fire about 10 p.m. Saturday and found light smoke and a smoldering area on the floor in front of the stage of the nightclub at 1301 block Lavaca St., according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Block initially told investigators he had been looking for a warm place to sleep when he heard the fire alarm and saw the flames, the affidavit said. He told police he put the fire out, but later admitted he started the blaze for warmth and put it out once it begun to spread, the record said.
Damage to the floor was estimated at $1,000, according to court records.
December 25, 2011
3 boats and dock on Lady Bird Lake catch fire
Updated at 4:50 p.m.: Officials estimated damage at $1 million for three boats and a dock that were damaged on Lady Bird Lake Sunday afternoon.
No injuries have been reported, as a 15 foot by 70 foot barge was completely destroyed and two smaller boats damaged, Austin Fire officials said.
Updated at 2:53 p.m.: Firefighters have contained two separate boat fires on Lady Bird Lake near the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, officials said.
Crews are still putting out spot fires on the boats in a marina in front of the Hyatt Regency Austin hotel on the south side of the lake.
Earlier: A boat on Lady Bird Lake has caught fire near the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. Some drivers are apparently slowing up bridge traffic to take photos.
Check back soon for more details.
December 14, 2011
Blaze at East Austin business under control, triggers power outage
Update 3:15 P.M.: The fire has caused $300,000 in damage to the building and $75,000 in damage to its contents, Fire Department officials say. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Update:
Austin fire officials say the cause of this morning’s fire at a business in East Austin has not yet been determined.
Officials have said El Agasajo club at 5005 East 5th Street was a total loss following a heavy fire at the small business early this morning.
An owner of the business has claimed it was arson, but investigators have yet to confirm that finding, said Austin firefighter Isaac Rodriguez.
“As far as our investigation, we have not declared that whatsoever. The investigative team is on the scene,” Rodriguez said. “We are not saying he (the owner) is correct or wrong, but we need to conduct our own investigation.”
Earlier:
Power had been restored to all East Austin customers who saw an outage this morning following a nearby fire at the El Agasajo club.at 5005 East 5th Street, Austin Energy says.
Earlier:
Power has been restored to all but 200 customers near the scene of an early morning fire at 5005 East 5th Street, Austin Energy and a fire official said.
The structure was considered a total loss at the scene of the business where this morning’s fire occurred, Austin fire Lt. Josh Portie said.
There was no immediate cost estimate available, or cause, but crews continue to investiage he said. They also continue to attack small smoldering fires and hot spots that remain, Portie said.
Earlier:
An early morning fire at an East Austin business is under control, but crews continue to work to put the fire completely out, said Austin fire Lt. Josh Portie.
The fire, because of its proximity to a power grid, forced a power shutdown for more than 1,400 nearby customers shortly before 8 a.m., according to Portie and the utility’s web site. The utility was working quickly to restore those customers, which included nearby Meals on Wheels, Portie said.
The fire broke out around 7 a.m. at the business at 5005 East 5th Street, Portie said. Crews had difficulty attacking the fire because of window security bars and other constraints, he said.
Soon after, crews moved to defensive mode to put out the fire rather than save the already heavily damaged building, Portie said. One crew was separated from the other crews during the transition to leave the building for 2 minutes, but was able to leave the building safely through the back, Portie said. There were no injuries reported, he said.
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Earlier:
Austin firefighters are battling a heavy blaze at an East Austin business this morning, an official said.
The fire at what was described as a night club at 5005 East 5th St. broke out around 7 a.m., the official said.
Firefighters moved into defensive mode shortly before 8 a.m., meaning their main goal was to put out the fire, rather than save the structure.
The business is located east of Springdale Road and East Cesar Chavez Street.
December 10, 2011
Pflugerville fire displaces apartment residents
Residents of a 12-unit apartment complex in Pflugerville have been displaced after the building caught fire last night.
Flames were shooting through the 1825 Place Apartments roof when firefighters responded to the scene at about 9:30, suggesting that the fire had been developing for a while, Pflugerville Fire Lt. Tim Wallace said.
The fire’s cause is undetermined, Wallace said. Residents won’t be allowed to return to their homes, all of which sustained significant water damage, until the fire department concludes its investigation.
Wallace said he expected the investigation will wrap up Monday or Tuesday. No one was injured and all of the apartment’s residents were accounted for, he said.
The apartment’s attic bore the brunt of the fire damage, he said, but two units on the second floor were also damaged by the flames.
“One half (of the building) is probably going to have to be torn down,” he said.
December 9, 2011
Three-year-old starts South Austin apartment complex fire with lighter
UPDATE 3:10 p.m.: A three-year-old playing with a lighter sparked a fire that destroyed eight units in a South Austin apartment complex, Austin Fire Department officials said.
Officials estimated the fire caused $61,000 in damage to the structure and $25,000 in damage to the contents of the apartments. The blaze displaced 28 people.
Andrea Bryant, a 34-year-old who lives with her three children in the unit that the fire started in, said her three-year-old niece was visiting the apartment when she started the fire.
Bryant was at work when the fire started and rushed home to find fire crews in the complex parking lot and her home charred.
“There ain’t nothing I can do,” Bryant said.
UPDATE 2:15 P.M.: A two-alarm fire at a South Austin apartment complex Friday afternoon damaged eight units and displaced 20-30 people, Austin Fire Department officials said.
The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m. at the Oak Creek Village complex at 2330 Wilson St. just south of West Oltorf Street, according to Austin Fire Battalion Chief Palmer Buck. Residents were evacuated and power was shut off.
Buck said the complex was built in the 1970s and units did not contain sprinklers. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
EARLIER: Austin Fire Department officials are reporting a two-alarm blaze at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of Wilson Street near South First Street and West Oltorf Street.
Officials say eight units are fully involved with flames. Fire crews are on the scene
Austin Fire Department officials are reporting a two-alarm blaze at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of Wilson Street near South First Street and West Oltorf Street.
Officials say eight units are fully involved with flames. Fire crews are on the scene.
More details to come.
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
December 4, 2011
Firefighters battle two-story house fire
UPDATE, 8:41 p.m..: Fire department officials report that the residents of the home “have been accounted for and are safe.”
However, officials said the structure is a total loss.
EARLIER: Multiple fire departments are attempting to put out a fire tearing through a two-story house in Point Venture.
The North Lake Travis, Cedar Park and Leander fire departments are defensively fighting the blaze consuming the 25,000-sq. ft. home in the 18700 block of Lakeland Drive, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith of the Austin Fire Department.
The fire broke out shortly after 6 p.m., and the home was fully engulfed when authorities arrived, he said.
Injuries are unknown at this time as firefighters have not been able to search the home, and its owners have not been located, Smith said.
December 2, 2011
Kyle firefighters respond to overnight house fire
The Kyle fire department and the Hays County sheriff’s office responded to an overnight fire at a mobile home, an official said.
The fire, which occurred shortly before 2 a.m., damaged the Kyle mobile home near High and Goforth roads, the official said.
There were no reported injuries, the official said. The Hays County Fire Marshal will investigate the cause of the fire, the official said.
November 30, 2011
Spicewood fire cause still unknown
A fire that scorched 6,400 acres and destroyed 45 homes in Spicewood was contained about a week after it started. But nearly three months later, the fire’s cause is still unknown.
Travis County Fire Marshal Hershel Lee said the fire is one of about 25 that his office is investigating. Three people in his office are always assigned to fire investigations, he said, calling the Spicewood investigation complex “because of the nature of where the fire started and all the possible causes.”
Lee declined to discuss further details about the fire, including whether downed power lines could have caused spark as they did in Bastrop County where wildfires ravaged 34,000 acres during the same period.
But an insurance company for the Pedernales Electric Cooperative, the member-owned utility that provides power the area, has deployed its own experts to investigate the fire.
Kay Jarvis, a spokeswoman with the cooperative, said it’s the utility’s understanding that Ace American Insurance Company is investigating the fire in the event that any claims are filed against it. No claims have been filed to date, she said. And the insurance company hasn’t made any final reports about the fire available to the cooperative, she said.
November 29, 2011
Crews respond to structure fire north of Wells Branch
Fire crews are responding to a one-alarm structure fire on the 3100 block of Raging River Drive in northern Travis County, officials said.
The house fire started about 5:30 p.m., and residents have been evacuated, officials said. The fire was probably caused by electrical problems, officials said.
November 23, 2011
Man charged in arson case involving ex-girlfriend
A Georgetown man is facing a felony arson charge after a gas meter leading to his ex-girlfriend’s home in South Austin was set on fire, an arrest affidavit said.
Malcolm Duff Short Jr., 39, was charged after investigators found evidence that a stack of cardboard around a gas meter at the duplex in the 200 block of West William Cannon was set on fire Thursday, the affidavit said.
Neighbors helped put out the fire before Austin firefighters arrived, the affidavit said.
The document said that Short later told police he had poured gasoline near the meter because he was angry that he was kicked out of the home by his ex-girlfriend.
Short is not currently jailed but faces bail of $25,000 bail, court and jail records show.
November 15, 2011
Lightning destroys house in Dripping Springs
Update, 3:35 p.m. No known injuries or loss of life resulted from a house fire near Grassy Field Road and Pure Brook Way in Dripping Springs today, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s office.
Fire Marshal Mark Chambers said that a neighbor witnessed lightning strike the residence, which he called a “total loss.”
A utility pole that caught fire at FM 1626 and FM 2770 in the Buda-Kyle area may also have been struck by lightning, but was quickly extinguished, according to the sheriff’s office.
Elsewhere in the county, today’s weather caused three motor vehicle accidents, according to the sheriff’s office. One of the accidents temporarily blocked traffic at FM 1626 and West Way Drive. Another on Ranch Road 12 in Wimberley may have resulted in possible injuries investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Update, 1:05 p.m.: A lightning strike during today’s thunderstorm sparked a fire at a Dripping Springs house, Hays County Deputy Jeff Jordan said.
A neighbor reported seeing lightning, Jordan said. “The house is going to be a total loss.”
The Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident at 10:30 a.m. this morning, Jordan said. The North Hays County Volunteer Fire Department and Fire Marshal Mark Chambers are also on the scene.
No information is yet available on whether any residents were in the house and whether anyone was injured, Jordan said. No other structures have been damaged, he said.
Earlier: Hays County Sheriff’s deputies have responded to a structure fire in Dripping Springs, Deputy Jeff Jordan said.
Jordan said no further information is yet available. He didn’t know if the fire was sparked by this morning’s thunderstorm.
Check back for updates.
November 5, 2011
18 people displaced in NW Austin apartment fire
Update, 5:45 p.m.: The Austin Fire Department says fire heavily damaged building 3 of 12343 Hunters Chase (Hunters Chase East). Two apartments were destroyed, two have heavy fire control damage, and four other apartments suffered smoke and light water damage. Eighteen people will be displaced, with the apartment management and the Red Cross assisting. There were no reported injuries.
Ralph Barrera AMERICAN-STATESMAN
See more photos from the scene.
Previous: Fire crews are battling a fire that has destroyed an apartment building in Northwest Austin, officials said.
The fire is at an apartment complex on the 12300 block of Hunters Chase Drive near the intersection of McNeil Drive and U.S. 183.
Fire Department investigating blaze that destroyed Southeast Austin home
The Austin Fire Department is investigating what caused a blaze that destroyed an Southeast Austin home early Saturday morning, officials said.
Fire crews arrived at the house, on the 6100 block of Larch Terrace, near Montopolis Park, at 12:51 a.m., Fire Department spokesman Palmer Buck said.
“It was blowing out of every window and door when we got there,” Buck said.
Three people were in the home when the fire started, but they all got out safely. The fire destroyed the house, however, causing $60,000 in structural damage and $15,000 in damage to the contents of the house, Buck said.
The houses on either side of the burning structure were evacuated, but the fire did not spread, Buck said.
The three residents of the home are being helped by the Red Cross, Buck said.
November 1, 2011
Lago Vista fire displaces at least eight residents
An early morning fire at a small Lago Vista fourplex damaged four units and displaced at least eight residents, an official said Tuesday.
The fire broke out shortly before 6 a.m. at 20702 Bonanza Street on the top two units of a fourplex, said Chief Raymond Tennison for the North Lake Travis Fire and Rescue Department, otherwise known as Emergency Services District No. 1.
Emergency crews found the fire fully involved on the top two units but were able to extinguish it quickly, he said. The two apartments were destroyed, while the bottom two apartments suffered extensive water and smoke damage, Tennison said.
All of the occupants of the apartments were out of their homes when crews arrived, and no one was injured, he said.
The cause and an estimate of the extent of damage was not available but is being investigated, Tennison said.
Tennison estimated that at least eight to 10 residents have been displaced.
October 28, 2011
Fire marshal investigating cause of Dripping Springs structure fire
UPDATED, 4:45: The Hays County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, now under control.
The structure is a “shop-style building or work shop” rather than the residence that was originally reported, Taylor said.
EARLIER: The North Hays County Fire Department is trying to put out at a house fire at the 1400 block of Loop 165 in Dripping Springs, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
All residents are believed to be safe, and no other structures are endangered, Sgt. Phillip Taylor said.
The house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, he said.
October 25, 2011
Man set his apartment on fire after fight with girlfriend, investigators say
A man set his own apartment on fire Sunday morning after suspecting his girlfriend, who also lived in the unit, of cheating on him, according to an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit said the fire, which began around 6:45 a.m., was contained to the couple’s unit and caused about $25,000 in building damage at the Lakeview Apartments on 2401 South Lakeshore Boulevard, where a larger fire on Thursday burned a different building in the complex. Fire officials said Thursday’s accidental fire is unrelated to this one.
On Monday investigators charged Carlos Lara, 28, with arson, a first-degree felony, the affidavit said. He was not in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, according to jail records.
A neighbor told Austin Fire Department investigators that Lara was upset that his girlfriend had not come home yet, and he told the neighbor to “take your kids and go. I’m about to set this place on fire,” the affidavit said.
Lara’s girlfriend told investigators that the two got into a fight Saturday and she was afraid to return to the home that day, the affidavit said. The girlfriend also told investigators that Lara called between 7 and 8 a.m. and said the apartment was on fire, the affidavit said.
The neighbor believed that Lara was drunk, so she did not take him seriously until she heard smoke detectors and sounds of an explosion from Lara’s apartment, the affidavit said.
October 21, 2011
Pflugerville house fire out
Update, 10 p.m.: The two-alarm house fire in Pflugerville is out, and little damage was caused to the house, officials said.
The fire was “hidden” in the walls of the house when crews arrived on the scene, Pflugerville Fire Department spokesman Tim Wallace said.
“It was labor intensive. We called for a second alarm just for more manpower,” Wallace said.
There were no injuries in the fire, and the damage to the two-story house was minimal, Wallace said.
“We’re doing more damage making sure the fire is out than the actual fire did,” he said.
Firefighters are battling a two-alarm house fire in Pflugerville, officials said.
The fire, at a home on Grand Mission Way near Kelly Lane, was reported at 7:30 p.m., officials said. Pflugerville firefighters are at the scene.
October 20, 2011
Fire out at Southeast Austin apartment complex
Firefighters have put out a a two-alarm blaze in the second floor of an apartment building in Southeast Austin.
Officials said the fire in building 14 at the Lakeview Apartments at 2401 S. Lakeshore Boulevard was put out in about 15 minutes.
Firefighters got the first call at 4:34 p.m. Several firefighters were training nearby and were able to arrive at the scene within minutes, officials said. The fire began in the balcony of a second-floor unit.
The blaze spread to the attic and damaged electrical equipment for the whole building, causing about 30 residents to be displaced, battalion chief Thayer Smith said. Residents will likely be displaced for “some time”, Smith said.
One resident and one firefighter were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Smith said.
The structure is an older building and did not have a sprinkler system, Smith said. There is no word on the cause or damage estimate, he said.
The Red Cross is on its way to help displaced residents, Smith said.
Correction: The post was corrected to say that the fire was in building 14.
October 16, 2011
Small fire at lumberyard under investigation
Updated at 5:20 p.m.: About 60 firefighters were putting out a small fire at ABC Lumberyard in Northeast Austin, saving about 95 percent of the lumber, officials said.
Total damage, including lost lumber and damage to the office area, is estimated to be $200,000, Austin Fire spokesman Palmer Buck said in a statement.
There is still no word on the cause and no injuries have been reported. Earlier: Firefighters knocked down a fire at a small lumberyard this morning, officials said.
Crews responded to the fire at ABC Lumberyard on Joseph Clayton Drive near Braker Lane and I-35 in northeast Austin around 6 a.m. and put out the fire in about an hour, Austin Fire officials said.
The cause is still under investigation and damage has not been estimated yet; no injuries were reported by Austin Fire.
October 11, 2011
Electrical fire damages commercial building in Round Rock
From the City of Round Rock:
At 8:49 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11, Round Rock Fire Department units responded to a report of a structure fire at 900 Round Rock Ave.
The first Fire Department units arrived at 8:52 p.m. and found fire coming through the roof on the west side of the building. There are 3 occupied businesses that had smoke in them and one vacant space. The fire was contained to the area of the vacant occupancy.
There was a scout troop meeting in a vacant business when the fire was discovered. They evacuated the building without incident.
Damage is estimated at $20,000.
The Fire Department responded with seven apparatus with 19 firefighters. The fire was contained in approximately 40 minutes and totally extinguished within 90 minutes. The last Fire Department units cleared the scene at 12:11 a.m.
The cause of the fire is electrical in nature.
October 6, 2011
Bastrop fire caused by smolder from old blaze
Updated at 6:08 p.m.: Officials said the now-310 acre fire burning in Bastrop County was ignited by smolder from last month’s Bastrop Complex fire.
The new fire is now 75 percent contained and officials don’t expect to have firefighters on it overnight. Small fires caused by smolder have been popping up in the past few weeks on the interior of the 34,000-acre Bastrop Complex fire, but this is the first major flare-up to consume new territory, officials said.
“You’ve been having fires in the Bastrop Complex interior from the same kind of thing,” Texas Forest Service spokesman John Nichols said. “This is the same kind of thing where there’s still a little bit of heat out there and it’s a windy situation. … All it takes is a little smolder.”
Updated at 4:50 p.m.: Officials said all evacuations were lifted and all roads, including Herron Trail, are open to the public as of 4 p.m.
Earlier: A three-day-old wildfire in Bastrop remained 50 percent contained this morning, and officials hope to allow more evacuated residents to return home today.
Overnight, firefighters made progress battling the blaze that has consumed 320 acres, a much lower figure than initial estimates, said John Nichols, spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
“They feel really good on how things went yesterday,” he said.
There have been no injuries reported, and no structures have been damaged or lost.
Nichols said crews hope that containment would continue to grow today, but there is no exact timing on when the fire could be fully controlled or extinguished.
Officials will continue to evaluate the area today to determine whether more residents will be allowed to return home, Nichols said.
Herron Trail, the L-shaped road closest to the fire, remained closed overnight and will be re-evaluated today. Residents living on Oak Hill Cemetery Road, Cody Lane and Crepe Myrtle Drive were allowed back to their homes at 6 p.m. yesterday.
The fire started for unknown reasons Tuesday afternoon at the Griffith League Scout Ranch near Oak Hill Cemetery Road off FM 2336, officials have said. About 150 firefighters remained battling the stagnant blaze overnight.
Officials initially estimated the blaze at 1,000 acres Tuesday night based on an observer flying overhead, but they lowered the acreage by about two-thirds after a GPS survey of the burn area Wednesday morning by the Texas Forest Service.
The discrepancy was partially because the burn area was heavily wooded and smoke was drifting under the trees and out through the canopy, far from the fire lines, Nichols said. The new burn area also was very close to last month’s fire, and the two may have been difficult to distinguish from the sky, he said.
The fire has been more manageable than September’s larger — and deadly — Bastrop County blaze, officials said, because of more favorable weather.
Last month’s Bastrop County wildfires — which burned 34,000 acres, destroyed about 1,600 homes and killed two people — began Sept. 4 when wind-whipped trees crashed into power lines, according to the Forest Service. As of last week, homeowners had filed 1,500 insurance claims, with an estimate of $250 million in insured losses.
Four airplanes spent about an hour Wednesday morning dumping retardant on the edges of the latest fire, Nichols said, but were not needed the rest of the day. Three helicopters were out through the afternoon dropping water, he said. It’s possible the air support maybe used again today, Nichols said.
October 5, 2011
Evacuations to be lifted at 6 p.m. for some in Bastrop fire
Updated at 5:15 p.m.: Evacuation orders will be lifted for three roads at 6 p.m., officials said.
Residents of Oak Hill Cemetery Road, Cody Lane and Crepe Myrtle Drive will be allowed back to their homes, Texas Forest Service spokesman John Nichols said.
The fourth street whose residents were evacuated, Herron Trail, will remain closed and reevaluated Thursday morning, Nichols said.
Earlier: The size of a Bastrop fire that has been burning since yesterday was revised to 315 acres and 50 percent contained, Bastrop County’s Office of Emergency Management said on its Facebook page this morning.
The new estimate from the Texas Forest Service is based on GPS survey of fire, according to the page.
Firefighters are hoping to gain additional control over the fire today as air support continues to make drops of fire retardant, said John Nichols, spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
Favorable weather conditions could continue to aid firefighting efforts and push containment numbers up further, he said.
“The numbers should increase” today, he said. “It’s warming up, but not like a month ago. And winds are very light.”
Around 10:30 a.m., air support rejoined firefighting efforts as a Convair plane dropped several loads of fire retardant to reinforce the existing perimeter of the fire, Nichols said. Additional air support, including a DC-10 and two C-130s, remained on call at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on an as-needed basis, he said.
A new wave of 100 firefighting personnel were battling the blaze this morning, Nichols said.
The blaze started for unknown reasons about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Griffith League Scout Ranch near Oak Hill Cemetery Road off FM 2336, officials have said.
Residents of an estimated 28 homes remained evacuated this morning, Nichols said. No structures have been damaged, and there have been no reported injuries, he said.
On Tuesday, portions of FM 2336 near the origin of the fire from Texas 95 and U.S. 290 were closed. However, the roadway was reopened late last night and remains open today. Checkpoints continue to control entry to evacuated areas along Herron Trail and Oak Hill Cemetery Road, officials have said.
Related story: Bastrop County faces another wildfire
Photos: Bastrop fire, 10.04.11
Read our continuing coverage of the Central Texas Labor Day weekend fires
October 4, 2011
Bastrop County fire grows to 1,000 acres
8:45 p.m. update: Officials say 50 homes have now been evacuated. The fire remains at 1,000 acres and is 25 percent contained.
8:10 p.m. update: John Nichols, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service, said the Bastrop County wildfire has grown to 1,000 acres but is 20 percent contained.
He said that the presence of aircraft, including a DC-10, two C-130s and others has helped put a dent in the fire compared with the massive Bastrop Complex fire weeks ago. There, aircraft were occupied fighting other fires and weren’t able to intervene early on, Nichols said.
“The air resources did a great job,” Nichols said. “They were from Austin and they weren’t committed to anything else.”
More than 100 firefighters are on scene currently. They will stay overnight to fight the blaze.
Thirty houses have been evacuated, but officials do not think they are in danger, Nichols said. “The fire is well away from those houses,” he said.
7:45 p.m. update: Sissy Jones, a spokeswoman for the Bastrop County sheriff’s office, said the fire remains 10 percent contained with about 900 acres burned.
At the moment, firefighters are trying to hold their ground and protect structures, Jones said. No homes have burned yet, she said. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
The fire is now believed to have started at Griffith League Scout Ranch, which is near Oak Hill Cemetery Road off FM 2336. The fire is moving north.
Six planes and helicopters, including a DC-10 that was not available during last month’s fire, will be used to drop water on the blaze, Jones said.
Updated at 6:15 p.m.: Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management is reporting that the fire has grown to approximately 900 acres. The office said the blaze is 10 percent contained and that no homes have been lost.
Firefighters are doing structure protection in the area of FM 2336,
Updated at 5:10 p.m.: Road closures on FM 2336 are from Broken Bow to U.S. 290.
Evacuees can go to Celebration Community Church at 107 Long Horn Street, off of Cool Water Drive. The church can be reached at (512) 332-2537.
Updated at 4:40 p.m.: Officials said the fire has grown to 600 acres.
Earlier: A wildfire that has forced the evacuation of homes on Herron Trail near Bastrop has grown to 100 acres, sheriff’s office officials said today.
Fire crews are on the scene of the fire, near FM 2336 and Oak Hill Cemetery Road. A helicopter is also dumping water on the flames, officials said.
FM 2336 has been closed from Coolwater Drive to County Road 353, said Sissy Jones, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.
October 2, 2011
Firefighters contain small blaze in South Austin
A half-acre fire broke out in South Austin on Banister Lane near an apartment complex and train tracks around 4:15 p.m., officials said.
The fire is contained as of 4:45 p.m. Rail traffic has been stopped temporarily as crews are doing mop-up, officials said.
Structures were not threatened, and firefighters were not sure what caused the blaze.
October 1, 2011
Four-acre fire contained in Southeast Travis County
A four-acre brush fire at Mustang Ridge that threatened two homes is under control, according to Travis County Fire Rescue.
Chief Ken Bailey said crews were able to knock out the flames before any structures were damaged. Residents voluntarily evacuated there homes and no injuries were reported, Bailey said. The fire’s cause is still unknown.
Seven-acre fire in Southeast Austin contained
UPDATE, 12:35 P.M.: An animal that caused a power line to arc caused this morning’s brush fire, according to the Austin Fire Department.
EARLIER: A seven acre fire that sparked at Winnebago Lane and Drossett Drive was quickly contained, according to the Austin Fire Department.
The fire started on the side of the road and spread through grass lands near warehouses, Battalion Chief Thayer Smith said. The cause will probably remained undetermined, he said.
While wind speeds are expected to be slower than yesterday, Smith said that low humidities pose a fire risk. Typically fires don’t spread quickly in the morning, he said. That today’s brush fire grew to seven acres in a matter of minutes is “greatly concerning” he said.
September 30, 2011
Bastop wildfire 911 tapes released
The Bastrop County sherriff’s office has released 911 audio from the afternoon of September 4 when the Bastrop Complex fires began. The recordings below include calls from area residents to 911 as well as radio communications between emergency personnel as they arrive on Charolais Drive and assess the situation. The first audio file is a call from 258 Charolais Drive, which the Texas Forest Service determined was one of the fire’s points of origin.
September 29, 2011
'Alamo' movie set fire 95 percent contained, officials say
“The Alamo” movie set fire in southwestern Travis County is 95 percent contained as crews work toward full containment ahead of a cool front tonight that could bring strong winds and lightning, officials said Thursday.
The fire near Hamilton Pool Road consumed 150 acres, revised down from 200 acres after crews walked through the site during daylight for a more accurate read of the blaze’s impact, fire officials said. It consumed structures used in 2003’s “The Alamo” film set, officials have said.
The fire had reached 85 percent containment Wednesday night, and that number was upgraded to 95 percent by this morning, said Assistant Fire Chief Robert Abbott for the Lake Travis Fire Rescue department, otherwise known as Travis County Emergency Services District No. 6.
“Tonight is very important,” said Lexi Maxwell, spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service. “They are really trying to zip it up and give (the fire) a good perimeter. That way if you have sparks that flare up, they just roll into the black. That will be their motivation behind their ops today, to lock this down.”
Maxwell walked through the remnants of “The Alamo” film set Wednesday and said while an initial count of six to nine structures were destroyed, upon closer examination, those larger structures may have comprised many smaller structures.
Maxwell counted at least “20 to 30 smaller structures, some of those were movie set sheds sitting in long straight rows. Some are narrow (structures) that are all together.”
Also consumed in the fire was a fee booth and an abandoned maintenance building for the park, Maxwell said.
“The Alamo” film set was largely constructed with two-by-fours, stucco and chicken wire, and the structures were not very well maintained since being left there in 2003, Maxwell and Abbott said. Some of the structures had already been damaged by weather since their construction, they said.
“They were really dilapidated,” Maxwell said. “Most of these set buildings were not built to last.”
Maxwell, however, urges area residents to remain vigilant in protecting their properties as dry conditions continue by following “Firewise” principles. Those can be found by going to firewise.org and include information on how to clear landscaping and home treatments that give residents a better chance at protecting their homes from wildfire.
“Wildfire risk can be reduced on residences and other structures by applying Firewise concepts to the buildings and the landscape surrounding them,” Maxwell said. “We’ve got to let people know they can do something, they don’t have to be defenseless victims.”
September 28, 2011
Crews to stay overnight at "Alamo fire" in Southwest Travis County
UPDATE 5:15 P.M.: Lake Travis Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Robert Abbott said the fire is now 85 percent contained. He said fire crews would stay there overnight to put out hot spots. They hoped to have it contained by this morning, Abbott said.
“We want to be ahead of the game tackling flare-ups,” he said. He added that the number of acres burned has been downgraded from 200 to 150.
The fire has consumed several movie set structures, Abbott said. He added that because the sets are designed to look old, and some of them had been damaged by weather since their construction, it’s hard to assess the damage.
UPDATE 11:30 A.M.: Texas Forest Service officials say the “Alamo fire” on Hamilton Pool Road remains 75 percent contained, but firefighters anticipate having it fully contained this evening.
About 60 to 75 firefighters are on scene from the Austin Fire Department and six other agencies, officials said. STAR Flight helicopters are set to dump water on the blaze soon as well.
Check back for more details.
EARLIER: A 200-acre fire on Hamilton Pool Road in western Travis County destroyed seven structures Tuesday night is now 75 percent contained, according to fire officials.
The fire consumed eight to nine structures, at least six of which were movie sets from the Alamo film shot near Reimers Ranch in 2003, a Texas Forest Service official said.
The fire began about 6:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of Hamilton Pool Road. No homes were immediately threatened nor had evacuations been ordered.
It was not yet known if the other destroyed structure was part of the movie set. Officials last night said that the cause of the fire was undetermined but that there was a large amount of lightning in the area.
September 27, 2011
200-acre brush fire burning old movie set on Hamilton Pool Road
10:20 p.m. Update:A 200-acre fire on Hamilton Pool Road in western Travis County destroyed seven structures Tuesday night and was not contained by 10 p.m., according to fire officials.
Lake Travis Fire & Rescue Chief Robert Abbott said no homes were immediately threatened nor had evacuations of homes been ordered.
The fire began about 6:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of Hamilton Pool Road, and six of the structures destroyed were movie sets from the “Alamo” film shot near Reimers Ranch in 2003, Abbott said.
It was not yet known if the other destroyed structure was part of the movie set, he said. He added that the cause of the fire was undetermined, but he said there was a large amount of lightning in the area.
9:50 p.m. Earlier: The Hamilton Pool fire has grown to 200 acres and is still 0 percent contained, according to fire officials.
No homes have been evacuated.
Earlier: A 150-acre fire on Hamilton Pool Road has several agencies fighting the blaze that has already destroyed a section of the old “Alamo” movie set near Reimers Ranch in western Travis County.
The fire started about 6:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Hamilton Pool Road. Officials said the fire is not contained, is moving east and has ruined six movie set structures so far.
Grass fire near Florence now contained
Update, 4 p.m.: The grass fire that sparked near Florence around 2 p.m. is now contained, Georgetown Fire Chief Robert Fite said.
“They’re still there knocking out hot spots, but the fire’s been declared under control,” he said.
Fite said the fire consumed 10 acres at most. No structures were damaged.
Earlier: Firefighters are battling a roughly 10-acre grass fire near Pecan Branch off Texas 195 between Florence and Georgetown.
The Georgetown Fire Department and Florence volunteer firefighters responded to calls about smoke in the area at 2:10 p.m.
“It’s about 10 acres; very rough terrain,” Georgetown Fire Chief Robert Fite said. “It’s an ongoing fight.”
Fite said he did not know if the fire posed a threat to any structures at this time.
Jennifer Shelton, a Florence volunteer firefighter, said she saw smoke from the road on her way to work.
“It was pretty far back from the road, from what I could see,” Shelton said.
Shelton said recent weather will hopefully help the fight.
“Thankfully, we had a lot of rain yesterday, so Mother Nature is on our side,” she said.
San Marcos grass fires contained; one home destroyed
12: 53 p.m. update: Firefighters have contained a house fire in northwest San Marcos, as well as grass grass fires sparked by the house fire, South Hays Fire Department Chief David Smith said. The home has been destroyed.
Several large explosions that happened during the fire caused it to jump to surrounding trees, creating several spot fires covering an area of less than 20 acres, Smith said.
The cause of the explosions and the fire is unknown at this time, Smith said. The Hays County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating, he said.
One firefighter who sustained steam burns was treated at the scene and released back to work, Smith said. No other injuries have been reported.
Noon update: No other structures are so far threatened, sheriff’s office spokesman Brandy Reuter said. The grass fires are “relatively close” to the burning home that started them, she said.
11:35 a.m. update: All residents were evacuated from a home that was found fully engulfed in flames, according to the sheriff’s office. The fire hasn’t been contained. The Kyle and San Marcos fire departments are on the scene, helping to control grass fires that sparked around the structure.
A propane tank exploded around 11:30 a.m., but no one on the scene was injured, according to the sheriff’s office.
Earlier: SAN MARCOS — Firefighters are working to control grass fires around a home that caught fire in San Marcos today, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
After the Hays County Sheriff’s office received a report of a structure fire at the 300 block of Oak Meadows Drive, the South Hays Fire Department found a home and vehicle “fully engulfed” in flames at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
No injuries have been reported, officials said. The Wild Land Task Force is en route. Check back here for more details.
South Austin duplex destroyed by fire
An early morning fire at a South Austin duplex caused significant damage and displaced five residents, an Austin fire department official said.
The fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. at 1524 Southport Drive near Manchaca Road just north of West Ben White Boulevard and was fully involved when firefighters arrived, the official said.
The fire caused $300,000 in damage, including two vehicles, officials said. Two cats were reported missing.
There were no injuries reported, but one occupant was evaluated by emergency medical service workers, the official said.
The cause is under investigation and the Austin Fire Department expects to monitor the scene for several hours this morning for any potential hot spots, the official said.
Photo: Deborah Cannon/American-Statesman
September 26, 2011
3 Bastrop fire victims sue electric co-op
Three victims of the Bastrop wildfire are suing Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, accusing the utility of gross negligence that led to one of the state’s largest fires, which has consumed 34,000 acres, destroyed about 1,600 homes and killed two people since Labor Day weekend.
Attorney William Rossick filed the suit Monday in Bastrop County listing three plaintiffs. Managing partner John Escover said the plaintiffs are seeking compensation, specifically personal injury and property damage, mental anguish and past and future medical expenses.
“The people that I represent are looking to make sure that this is something that sends a message to Bluebonnet and doesn’t happen again,” Rossick said in a statement on the website for his law firm of Putonti, Escover and Rossick, which has offices in Lakeway and Austin.
A Texas Forest Service investigation concluded that trees that crashed into overhead power lines probably caused the Bastrop fire. Wind gusts reaching more than 30 mph on Sept. 4 apparently knocked down trees that tumbled into the electrical lines at two locations, causing sparks that fell into the dry grass and tree litter below, according to the investigative report.
The plaintiffs claim the power company didn’t remove dead trees near those utility lines, Rossick said.
Bluebonnet’s chief executive officer, Mark Rose, said in a statement Monday: “This lawsuit is a misguided attempt to blame Bluebonnet for a terrible incident that we could not control. The Labor Day weekend fires in Bastrop County were the result of high winds causing tall trees to fall into our power lines through one of the most heavily forested areas of Texas in the midst of an historic drought. These trees were on private property, well outside Bluebonnet’s rights-of-way. Given these facts and the conditions at the time these fires started — extreme drought, high winds, hot temperatures, low humidity and abundant fuel — no reasonable person could blame Bluebonnet, or any other utility.”
“I find that disingenuous at best and intellectually dishonest,” Escover said in an interview. “They are claiming an act of God. This was completely foreseeable. We had severe drought conditions throughout the state. This type of fire has happened before, in 2009, when Bluebonnet was the supplier of electrical power under almost identical circumstances. They had a duty to the residents of Bastrop that this type of fire did not happen again, and it did. That 2009 fire put them on notice.”
Rossick said other attorneys may join in more lawsuits. “I’ve already been in discussions with a number of other attorneys looking to join forces on this,” he said in a statement.
On his website, Rossick provided a link to a copy of the minutes of Bluebonnet’s annual board meeting in May in which Rose issued a warning about the drought. He told those in attendance, the minutes said, to pray for rain because 330,000-plus acres have burned and more than 2 million acres are in severe drought conditions statewide. “This affects our business and many other rural businesses. Pole fires are a constant threat in these conditions,” said Rose, according to the minutes.
According to the Insurance Council of Texas, Bastrop homeowners have filed 1,500 claims so far, with an estimate of $250 million in insured losses. About 10 percent of the homeowners were uninsured.
September 25, 2011
Fire in Southwest Austin contained
A grass fire in Southwest Austin near the Circle C neighborhood briefly prompted several homes to be evacuated this afternoon.
The fire, in a wooded area near Clay Allison Pass, was contained about 5 p.m., fire officials said. No structures caught fire, and no cause has been determined, officials said.
September 24, 2011
Wildfire raging north of San Marcos
UPDATE AT 8:05 P.M. The fire is about 50 percent contained, Hays County Sheriff’s office spokesman Dennis Gutierrez said. And “due to the humidity,” he said it is expected to die down completely overnight.
Multiple fire crews were on the scene, but the firefighting aircraft were expected to be released from the effort shortly.
UPDATE AT 7:10 P.M.: Firefighters have made “some significant progress” on the wildfire in the Ingram Ranch area north of San Marcos, said Chief Jeff Clark, battalion chief of the San Marcos Fire Department.
Ashley Landis FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The location of the DC-10 and other aerial firefighting equipment at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (in the wake of the various wildfires that ravaged Bastrop and other Central Texas areas over the past three weeks) “really helped us get a quicker handle on it,” Clark said
He was not prepared to say what percent of containment, if any, had occurred so far.
The weather forecast for Sunday, should the fire still be burning, shows temperatures at or above 100 degrees, with winds from the southwest of 10 to 20 mph.
EARLIER: Firefighters from several Hays County fire departments have so far failed to contain a wildfire in a forested area north of San Marcos, city spokeswoman Melissa Millicam said. The fire, based on the address given by Millicam, would appear to be about a mile north of Bobcat Stadium.
A huge cloud of black smoke was visible from the Texas State University campus, as was a DC-10 that was dumping fire retardant on the flames about 6 p.m.
According to Millicam and the fire command:
The fire at 2135 Post Road broke out at 4:12 p.m. and at this point covers just five acres. It is not considered at all contained as of about 6:40 p.m.. Two houses, with six people, have been evacuated, but the fire has not reached any structures. There have been no injuries.
The fire appears to be moving northwest. The nearest concentration of houses in that direction is least two miles away from 2135 Post Road. Interstate 35 is about a half mile east of that address, with considerable residential and commercial development in that interval.
So far, the San Marcos, Kyle, Wimberley, Kyle and Southeast Hays County fire departments have been engaged in fighting the fire.
Aside from the DC-10, seven helicopters have also been involved, six of them military choppers, said Dennis Gutierrez, a spokesman with the Hays County Sheriff’s office.
“They don’t know the cause,” Millicam said. “They’re doing a very aggressive attack on the fire.”
Ashley Landis FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Wildflower Apartments fire started accidentally
An apartment fire in North Austin Friday was accidentally set by smoking materials that were improperly discarded from a small barbecue grill left on the balcony, according to the Austin Fire Department.
The fire at Wildflower Apartments, on North Lamar Boulevard near Payton Gin Road, started on a third-floor balcony about 6 p.m. and spread to the attic, Capt. Marc Saenz said. A unit below was damaged by flames, Saenz said, and four others had smoke and water damage.
No injuries were reported. The fire was brought under control at about 6:40 p.m. yesterday, Saenz said.
Bastrop County fire still 95 percent contained
The fire that burned through more than 34,000 acres in Bastrop County was still 95 percent contained as of Saturday morning, with no fire burning outside the main containment lines, according to the Texas Forest Service.
An assessment team has confirmed that 1,554 homes were destroyed. Two residents were also killed in the blaze.
Since wildfires started burning statewide in November, about 23,500 acres have torched nearly 3.8 million acres and destroyed 2,742 homes, according to the service.
September 20, 2011
Disaster unemployment aid available for wildfire victims
Those affected by wildfires in 13 counties, including Bastrop, Travis and Williamson, can apply for disaster unemployment aid, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.
Workers who have lost their jobs or self-employed individuals who can’t work because of the Bastrop wildfires must submit their applications by Oct. 13. Those affected by fires in Travis and Williamson must apply by Oct. 17.
Individuals can apply online at ui.texasworkforce.org or by calling 1-800-939-6631 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
As of today, the Workforce Commission has received 256 disaster-related unemployment insurance claims, spokeswoman Lisa Givens said.
Disaster unemployment aid is available for disaster victims who have applied for and used all their regular unemployment benefits, don’t qualify for unemployment benefits, can’t work because of an injury that resulted from the disaster, among other criteria.
September 18, 2011
Bastrop fire 95 percent contained
Updated at 1:33 p.m.: The 34,000-acre Bastrop Complex fire is now 95 percent contained, said Victoria Koenig, a Texas Forest Service spokeswoman.
Earlier: Crews are calling the 34,000-acre fire that has burned for more than two weeks now 90 percent contained Sunday morning.
The spotty rain didn’t do as much as put out the fire, but it cooled temperatures, making it easier for firefighters to put out hot spots in the interior of the burn area, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Carman Apple said.
As the crews have a better handle on the blaze, the fire incident command is being downgraded from a type 1 to a type 3 Monday, indicating a gradual transition from national to local resources for the fire, Bill Paxton, a Texas Forest Service Spokesman said.
Forest Service officials were not sure when the fire would be contained, but Bastrop County’s emergency management coordinator said Saturday it would likely be another week before it’s fully contained.
September 16, 2011
FEMA opens mobile disaster recovery center in Travis County
The Federal Emergency Management Agency opened a mobile disaster recovery center in Travis County today, a spokesman with the agency said.
Residents affected by wildfire in Travis County can register at the center, currently located at the fire station in Briarcliff at 801 Bee Creek Road, FEMA Spokesman Ray Perez said.
The center will be open from 1-7 p.m. today and 9-7 p.m. Saturday, Perez said.
“It will probably move to another location in the county after it’s been there for a couple of days,” he said.
As of this morning, 25 residents from Travis County had registered for individual assistance. Travis was among five counties added to a federal disaster declaration this week, allowing those struggling in the wildfire’s wake to apply for federal assistance.
UPDATE, 3:27 p.m.: Federal officials have again expanded a major disaster declaration for those affected by recent wildfires, bring the total number of counties qualifying for aid to 11.
Five more counties were added to the disaster declaration Friday, meaning residents in Gregg, Grimes, Montgomery, Waller and Walker can apply for individual assistance, such as housing and other out-of-pocket expenses, said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ray Perez.
Bastrop County received the disaster declaration Sept. 9; Travis, Williamson, Houston, Colorado and Leon counties were added Wednesday. Perez said Friday’s expansion fulfills all of Texas’ request for aid to individuals; requests for aid to help repair public infrastructure damaged in the fires are still pending.
Bastrop wildfire now 80% contained
BASTROP — The wildfire that has scorched more than 34,000 acres in Bastrop County is now 80 percent contained, County Judge Ronnie McDonald said this morning, and the weather seems to be turning in the county’s favor.
Mike Fisher, the county’s emergency management coordinator, said reports of flare-ups are decreasing and the county is preparing to shift out-of-state firefighters to where they are more needed.
Multiple local, state and federal agencies have hunkered down in the City of Bastrop’s Convention and Exhibit Center for the last two weeks, but the command center is moving to Camp Swift on Monday, Fisher said.
Scheduled daily news conferences that the county has conducted daily will also cease after today, McDonald said.
As of this morning, $2.4 million has been approved for housing assistance in Bastrop County, and $193,085 has been approved for out of pocket expenses, such as medical bills, said Ray Perez, a spokesman with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The federal disaster agency has also updated its calculations of the number of people who have registered for aid. In Bastrop County, 2,147 have signed up for individual assistance, and 62 families have been put up in hotels or motels.
Five other counties were added to the federal disaster declaration this week, including Travis and Williamson counties; 25 Travis County residents and six Williamson County residents have registered for aid since the declaration was expanded Wednesday, Perez said.
Bastrop County Commissioner Clara Beckett said the damage assessments the county was conducting with FEMA are now complete. The county now is awaiting a disaster declaration that will trigger federal assistance to help pay for road repairs and debris removal.
“Bastrop County does not have the resources to take this on singularly,” she said.
Mark Rose, CEO and general manager for Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, said that the utility is still working to restore 2,071 meters without power. The co-op updated its schedule and now says that Sept. 28 is the latest that residents will be without power, a week earlier than previous estimates.
The utility is also taking requests from residents who have started to rebuild their homes or are planning to, he said. County officials have estimated that the fire destroyed more than 1,600 homes, taking two lives.
People without electricity who live in an area where power has been restored should call 800-842-7708.
One man, Steve Ingram, is still unaccounted for, Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering said
“We’re doing as much as we can to make it as easy as possible for folks to rebuild,” Rose said.
September 15, 2011
Bastrop County residents return to homes
A final wave of Bastrop County residents who were evacuated from fires that have been burning for more than a week have been allowed back into their homes today.
The fire, which has burned about 34,000 acres in the county since Sept. 3, was about 75 percent contained today, County Judge Ronnie McDonald said at a press conference this morning. There were 18 flare-ups reported overnight, he said.
Officials have confirmed that 1,244 homes have been destroyed, and McDonald estimated that the total will be more than 1,600 once all assessments are completed.
Aqua Water Supply Corp. has lifted a boil-water notice for parts of Bastrop County, officials said.
Bluebonnet Electric Coop continues to work to restore power to affected areas, CEO Mark Rose said. Crews spent a lot of time clearing trees, Rose said, adding, “It’s been a mammoth undertaking.”
About $1.6 million in federal aid has been approved, of which $1.4 million has been for housing, said Ray Perez, a spokesman with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He said 2,161 people have applied for individual aid, and 1,372 people have qualified for housing assistance, Perez said.
People can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.
A white flat-bed truck that was seen in a area where a small fire was started recently is owned by somebody who lives in the area and is no longer considered suspicious, McDonald said.
One person on a list of missing people remains missing, said Mike Fisher, the county’s emergency management coordinator. Friends of Steve Ingram have told officials that Ingram was possibly going to Arizona a few weeks ago, but his whereabouts have not been confirmed, Fisher said.
September 14, 2011
Travis, Williamson among five counties added to federal disaster declaration
UPDATE, 5:20 p.m.: Five counties have been added to the federal disaster declaration, making more Texans eligible for assistance.
As of today, residents and others affected by wildfires that started after Aug. 30 in Williamson, Travis, Colorado, Houston and Leon counties can apply for individual assistance, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said.
There are three ways to register:
online at www.disasterassistance.gov
via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov
by calling FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. Specialists are available by phone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week.
So far, state and federal officials have approved more than $967,000 in housing assistance and more than $88,000 in “other needs assistance” for eligible residents in Bastrop County, which received the disaster declaration late Friday. The other needs assistance includes help paying for the repair or replacement of personal property damaged or destroyed during the wildfires, transportation costs and medical and dental expenses.
Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities in Bastrop County are looking for a “suspicious vehicle” that was seen in the area where a small fire was started recently, said Robert Thorp, an officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
An older, white, flat-bed pickup truck with — license plate number BLK-155 — was seen near a fire that sparked near Red Rock in the past couple of days, Thorp said. Exactly when the fire started is unclear, but it wasn’t today, he said.
Officials haven’t been able to verify any information on the vehicle, Thorp said. He couldn’t immediately say whether it was registered or not.
“We just need to contact the person that was driving the vehicle and talk to them,” Thorp said.
Thorp has been posted in Red Rock looking for the vehicle and any other suspicious activity, he said. Anyone with information should call the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office, 512-549-5100, he said.
EARLIER: BASTROP — Bastrop County officials said they’ve received word today that the final person on a list of people missing in a large fire that’s been burning for more than a week is visiting relatives in Arizona.
Steve Ingram was one of 22 people on a list released Sunday who were missing in the fires. All others have checked in with authorities, Sheriff Terry Pickering said at a press conference with other officials this morning.
The fire that has been burning since Sept. 3 is about 70 percent contained, County Judge Ronnie McDonald said. About 600 firefighters are working the fire, and 174 law-enforcement officers are patrolling affected areas, said Mike Fisher, the county’s emergency management coordinator.
High winds and heat yesterday kept residents of the Eastern Tahitian Village, Pine Forest and McAllister Road neighborhoods as well as parts of Colovista out of those neighborhoods.
Fisher was hopeful that those residents will be allowed back to their homes tomorrow.
Winds of 20 to 25 mph and triple-digit heat are again in today’s forecast.
“It’s going to be an active day for the firefighters that are out there on the line today,” Fisher said, adding that there were 18 flare-ups yesterday.
There are still 2,078 Bluebonnet Electric Coop meters without power, CEO Mark Rose said. The coop has released a map showing when power will be restored to all areas, but Rose said today that the time scheduled to fully restore power will not be met.
“We are in the slow part of this work,” Rose said. “We’re talking about several weeks not several days.”
More than 1,800 people have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1,220 of which are eligible, spokeswoman Ericka Lopez said.
People can register for federal assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m seven days a week, officials said.
An additional 181 addresses were confirmed destroyed on a list posted at the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center today.
Officials have been investigating the cause of the fire, including reviewing 911 tapes, but a cause has not been determined, Fisher said.
The blaze, which has burned about 34,000 acres, started as two separate fires Sept. 3, Fisher said today. Two points of origin have been identified, on Charolais Drive and in the Scenic Farms area near U.S. 290, he said.
“It’s a tedious and difficult process given the destruction,” Fisher said of the investigation.
Photos: Wildfires burn across Central Texas
After morning flare-up, fire near Salado under control
After a brief flare-up early this morning forced some to evacuate, the fire off of FM 2484 near Union Grove Road in Bell County is under control, officials said.
“Things are looking really good right now,” Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Renee Burks said this afternoon.
The fire, which began about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and has consumed at least 500 acres, is now 75 percent contained, Burks said. A brief, five-acre flare-up early this morning caused some residents to evacuate, but no structures have been damaged, and the fire is back under control after helicopters were sent in to “mop up,” she said.
The firefighter that was sent yesterday evening to Temple’s Scott & White Hospital for heat-related injuries has since been released, Burks said.
September 13, 2011
Fire near Salado 50% contained
6:45 pm. update:: Texas Forest Service officials say the 500-acre fire near Salado is 50 percent contained.
Forest Service spokeswoman Mary Kay Hicks said that no homes are being threatened, and that crews will be working all evening putting out hot spots. She also said that evacuations were not mandatory, and that those who left their homes can go back.
Update:: Several fire departments are battling a 500 acre fire near FM 2484 and Union Grove Road in Bell County. There has been no damage to any buildings but homes on the east and west side of the fire are threatened, said Dennis Baker, the emergency management coordinator for Bell County.
The fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. today and started near Union Grove Park in the vicinity of Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Baker said. One of the subdivisions threatened is the Woods of Salado, he said. The fire is in rough terrain with cedar trees and is hard for firefighters to reach, he said.
Earlier:
Homes near Salado in Bell County are being evacuated because of a grass fire that is burning close to FM 2484, according to the sheriff’s office.
Officials said the fire has closed down a section of FM 2484, from Brewer Road to Crows Ranch Road.
It is unknown how many homes have been evacuated, how large the fire is, and if any buildings have burned.
September 12, 2011
Sheriff: Only 2 people still unaccounted for
Only two of the 22 people listed Sunday as unaccounted for in the Bastrop County wildfires are still missing, officials confirmed this morning.
Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering said that after the list was posted yesterday, 20 people were accounted for.
The two missing residents were identified only as Arlene Page and Steve Ingram. Pickering said officials are continuing attempts to locate them.
Announcement of the downsized list drew loud applause at a morning public briefing by emergency officials at the Bastrop Convention and Events Center.
Pickering said search-and-rescue teams are expected to complete their property-by-property search of the fires areas by this afternoon, and that no additional victims have been found.
“I feel confident that these people will be found,” he said, noting that they may just be property owners in the area and not actually live there. He said the list of names came from property and other official records.
“If we had additional victims, I think they would have turned up by now,” he said.
September 11, 2011
Bastrop officials' list of missing drops to 8 people
Update, 7:27 p.m.: Bastrop County officials said Sunday evening that eight people in the areas affected by the large Bastrop County fire have not yet been accounted for. That about a third of the number on a list released earlier in the day.
The current list, down from 22 names Sunday morning, as provided by officials:
Barbara Bunklage
Mark and Ethol Ehato
Steve Ingram
Arlene Paige
Ted and Loranne Regan
Lindsey Walker
Officials have requested that anyone who finds their name on that list call 512-332-8814 or 512-332-8857.
Earlier:
Robbie Barrera, a state trooper serving as a spokeswoman temporarily for the Bastrop County sheriff’s office, was explaining this afternoon how the office had compiled a list of people unaccounted for since the wild fire when a distinguished gentleman walked up holding his wallet open.
It was Gaylon Sampson, one of the 22 people on the list released about 1 p.m. today. He is no longer on the list. The Statesman has also confirmed that Frank and Elizabeth Evans are fine.
Sampson, for his part, found out from his son about his questionable whereabouts. He was at a Bastrop-area livestock facility where he expects to get back his three horses, missing since the fire overtook his place on O’Grady Lane east of Bastrop. His home, barn and corrals are all gone, he said.
But Sampson, a retired master sergeant with the U.S. Air Force, is fine.
“My son got a phone call about it,” Sampson said. “He said to me, ‘Dad, you’re either dead or missing.’ “
Actually, Sampson, who has a Smithville address, didn’t realize he had to call in to a phone bank in Bastrop to confirm he was OK. So he hurried over to the Bastrop Convention Center to clarify his status, where he found Barrera.
Barrera said that the list was compiled mostly from phone calls of people saying that a friend or loved one had not turned up since the fires began a week ago.
“Is this an official list of officially missing people?” Barrera said. “No.”
The status of the other 19 people on the list remains unclear at this time.
Churchgoers ponder a week of fire, and what's to come
The usher at Bastrop’s First United Methodist Church said he was sorry, but there would be no church bulletins for the 8:30 a.m. service today. The church secretary Michele Pittman, he explained, lost her home in the fire.
“Yeah, we’ve been busy doing other stuff,” pastor Andy Smith explained to the 50 or so parishioners on hand for the early service. “The first speakers, the apostles, didn’t have bulletins, and they did just fine.”
Doing without, and pulling together, looking back at Bastrop’s week of fire and looking ahead to a recovery now in its earliest stages, were the order of worship this Sunday.
“It’s very important for us to connect with each other, to tell our stories and hear each other’s stories,” Smith told the congregation.
About 20 members of the 600-member church lost their homes, he said, and dozens more were displaced. Some of those have returned to their undamaged homes, but many don’t yet have power restored.
This was a unique service, to be sure, one that included the minister sharing details of how to register for assistance from FEMA in the wake of President Barack Obama’s disaster declaration Friday. Call 1-800-621-3362, Smith said, and make sure you do it within the next 58 days.
Every song, every Scripture seemed to connect to the week’s events, perhaps by design. No. 117, the first hymn: “O God, our help in ages past.” The Lord, the songs says, is a “shelter from the stormy blast.”
Smith and assistant pastor Cynthia Engstrom, in tag-team sermons, attempted to provide spiritual shelter.
“We’re still in it; we’re still figuring it out,” Engstrom said. “We don’t know yet what is gone, and we don’t know how we’re going to put it back together…There is a lot of strength in this community, and a lot of love.
“If we are still feeling the pain, that’s OK, because we may need to cry for just a little longer.”
September 10, 2011
Bastrop fire 50 percent contained; second fire victim identified
Update 7:45 Officials in Bastrop County say the major wildfire, which has consumed more than 34,000 acres, is now 50 percent contained.
UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: BASTROP COUNTY — Nim Kidd, the state’s emergency management chief, reports that 182 hotel vouchers have been issued to displaced residents who want to leave three remaining emergency shelters open in the cities of Bastrop and Smithville.
Kidd said that FEMA officials are in Bastrop County assessing damage.
State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, attended the afternoon press conference with various local and state officials, including Kidd. Urging volunteers to keep working, Watson said: “While the fire moved fast, the process of recovery — that will not be as fast.”
Gov. Rick Perry did not take an expected tour of damaged areas and did not speak to the press as scheduled this afternoon.
Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said the governor could not attend because of “logistical reasons.” Perry had planned to speak at a location that was still inaccessible today because of the wildfire. The governor’s office moved the press conference to a new location, but Castle said it would have meant inconveniencing the media and local officials for Perry to attend.
Castle said Perry is at home in Austin. She did not elaborate on what he was doing there.
EARLIER: BASTROP COUNTY — Seven days after it sparked, the largest wildfire in Bastrop County is 40 percent contained, authorities announced this afternoon.
Two people died in the blaze, including Michael Troy Farr, a 48-year-old City of Austin employee who was found Tuesday at his home on Hudson Drive near Smithville.
Today, officials released the name of the second victim — 58-year-old Vickie Faye Keenan.
Bastrop County Sheriff Terry Pickering said Keenan was found Tuesday in the doorway of a metal shed at 253 Ponderosa Loop in Paige, near where the fire started.
Keenan, a retired administrative assistant, was staying with a friend at the Circle D residence, Pickering said. He said he didn’t know for how long or why she was staying there. He also said he didn’t know where she’s from.
Pickering said she likely died of smoke inhalation.
The fire has consumed about 34,000 acres, said authorities, who also confirmed that residences at an additional 122 addresses were destroyed by the fire, bringing the total number of known burned residences to 622.
Officials have estimated that about 1,400 homes were destroyed in the blaze.
“If your house is not posted on the list, it doesn’t mean it’s not destroyed,” Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald cautioned.
Texas 71 reopened this morning, and all residents who were displaced by the Union Chapel fire have been allowed to return to their homes.
To many residents’ chagrin, those affected by the larger fire have been given no such opportunity.
Pickering said today that residents can pick up permits that will be necessary to gain access to their neighborhoods. Though it’s unclear when residents would be able to use the permits, Pickering said the documents will help law enforcement officials to better protect residents’ property, a statement that drew applause from the many citizens who crammed into the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center today to hear updates on the status of the emergency operation and to learn when they could return to their homes.
Rumors that looters have been roaming around behind the barricades have been pervasive, but Pickering said there have been no official reports of such crime.
“I wish I had a crystal ball,” Pickering said at a press conference today. “We’re working diligently to try to get everybody back to their homes as soon as possible.”
News that Presidents Barack Obama late Friday issued a major disaster declaration also drew applause from residents Saturday morning. The move allows for a significant infusion of federal aid into the area affected by wildfires that started on Aug. 30 or later, according to the White House.
FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance today by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov (m.fema.gov for web-enabled mobile devices) or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central time, seven days a week until further notice.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover, officials said in a statement. FEMA representatives are en route, federal officials said.
Mark Rose, general manger and chief executive officer of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, said about 500 people are working in the field today to restore power to more than 3,000 meters, including to structures in the western part of Tahitian Village, he said.
Aqua Water’s general manager, Bill Loven, said the water supplier has lifted its boil water notice for 70 percent of the area it serves.
The Smithville school district will reopen Monday morning, Superintendent Rock McNulty said. Twenty-three staff members have been affected by the fire, he said, and more than 100 students have been displaced by it.
McNulty said those families should call 512-237-2487 if the district hasn’t yet contacted them.
Emotions run high
Tensions ran high at the morning press conference, where some residents angrily shouted at the officials who had gathered behind the podium.
They had been asked to write their questions on an index card, nearly all of which asked the same essential question: When can I go home?
For those affected by the larger of the two fires that have burned up Bastrop County during the past week, the answer - we don’t know - was a frustrating one.
News that firefighters may accompany insurance agents to assess the damage at their clients’ homes seemed to only anger.
One woman asked again and again why insurance agents would be given access to their homes before they were.
“Election day is coming,” she warned.
When she continued to speak over the sheriff, who was addressing the media’s questions, another woman sitting in front of her told her to “shut up.’
As the two women began to argue, Mike Fisher, the county’s emergency management coordinator, crossed the room to answer their questions as the press conference continued.
But the public’s gratitude is also apparent, with thank you notes taped on the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center’s window.
“I appreciate our firefighters for saving our town,” one reads. “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have a town. It’s been five days since the fire disaster and you’re still putting out fires and not giving up.”
At the bottom of the paper, “God bless you” is drawn in big, bold letters.
Volunteers help where they can
Everyone affected by the fire, from fire fighters residents, was invited to a brisket and sausage cook-out at the Frontier Bank across the street from the convention center.
Volunteers ran around the center with a box of bagged lunches for those who couldn’t break away.
About 250 firefighters chowed down on the barbecue before heading out to the field this morning, one volunteer said.
The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas is providing food boxes to families in need from 2-4 p.m. on Tuesday at 1201 Pine St. in Bastrop.
Crystal Paysse, a stay at home mom from Del Valle, arrived at the convention center with her husband and a friend at 6 a.m. Saturday to help distribute donations to firefighters.
Tables outside the convention center were piled high with drinks, clothes and toiletries, from contact lens cases to tampons.
“So many people lost their homes,” she said. “We had to do something to help.”
Baby wipes, clean socks and toothpaste are some of the first items the firefighters have been reaching for, she said.
“I feel like there’s more that I should be doing,” she said. “I can’t imagine losing everything I own.”
To lend a hand, landscaper Chuck Wilson has been doing work in Austin on behalf of one of his competitors, three of whom lost their homes in the wildfire, he said.
“So he can get a check this week,” Wilson explained.
All but three of Wilson’s 13 clients in Bastrop have lost their homes, he said. Asked whether his business will suffer, he shrugged.
“I got a home to go to,” he said.
September 9, 2011
Firefighters had 'good night' in Bastrop; Texas 71 to reopen tomorrow, officials say
Firefighting efforts in Bastrop County have reached day six, and emergency crews gained progress Thursday night against a blaze that has consumed hundreds of homes and thousands of acres.
The news bodes well for residents hoping to return to homes that survived the massive fires, which have consumed 36,000 acres and nearly 1,400 homes at last count.
“We had a pretty good night,” said Mike Fisher, coordinator of emergency management for Bastrop County. “We didn’t lose any new acreage.”
Bastrop County officials, who were joined by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, spoke to residents and the media in a morning briefing in which they discussed power restoration, school openings, donations and a pending request for federal disaster relief.
County Judge Ronnie McDonald noted residents’ unease about not being allowed to their properties.
“I know folks are getting frustrated,” he said. But “I want to make sure my count doesn’t go above two lives lost. … Work with us through this process.”
Mark Rose, the CEO of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, said more than 100 crews are continuing to assess the situation and restore power to homes that were not affected by the wildfire.
The utility has posted a map, right, of when areas could have power restored. Click here for the PDF.
Noting displaced residents’ frustration, Rose said the co-op is getting close to allowing more people into areas that have been closed off. But he said, for some, it’ll be “days not hours” as crews make sure it’s safe to return to neighborhoods around Bastrop.
But residents will not be allowed back to their properties until all utility poles have been extinguished and other fires have been put out, Rose said.
Rose added that his crews will energize the areas west of Tahitian Drive soon, but areas to the east cannot get power soon.
“Our first priority is to get people in non-burned areas home,” Rose said.
No new areas were opened to residents today.
About 200 Bastrop County residents were allowed to return to homes in unburned parts of the county Thursday afternoon as a first phase of re-entry. It’s not clear, however, when the next phase of residents will be allowed to go home, Fisher said.
Click here for a list of areas opened to residents Thursday and here for map.
County officials today updated a partial list of destroyed structures.
They also updated maps showing some of the destroyed homes in the Circle D and KC Estates area, the Pine Forest neighborhood and the south area of Tahitian Village.
Three shelters remain open for evacuees:
Celebration Community Church, Cool Water Drive at Longhorn Street, Bastrop; 512-332-2537
Ascension Catholic Church, 802 Pine St., Bastrop; 512-321-2452
Smithville Recreation Center, Texas 95 and First Street, Smithville; 512-237-3282
A cause and the location where the fire started have not been been determined, McDonald said.
Donations have been pouring in at such a voluminous pace that the county had all it can hold as of this morning, Fisher said. He added, however, that his staff is trying to find another location for more donations in the coming days.
Click here and here for ways to help victims and firefighters.
Bastrop schools will be open Monday, Superintendent Steve Murray said. Residents have asked him to help try to return to some semblance of normalcy as soon as possible, he said.
Business as usual might be impossible, Murray said, but the district will do what it can to help students. Counselors will be on hand at the school, as they have at shelters, he said.
Normally, the district has about 300 homeless students, which require certain allowances, but Murray said he expects that number to increase by three times, four times or more because of the fire.
Check the district website for more information, he recommended. Also, for school bus routes, he said to call the bus company at 512-321-5262 or 512-321-5706.
All students will get free breakfast and lunch next week, Murray said.
“We’ll see where it goes beyond that,” he said.
Smithville school officials also intend to open Monday, the district announced on its website.
“Buses will pick up displaced students at Smithville Recreation Center and First Baptist Church between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m.,” the statement said. “Displaced students temporarily housed outside the Smithville ISD boundaries, please contact the SISD offices at 512-237-2487 for pick up arrangements.”
Bastrop County residents living south of U.S. 290 and not in the city of Bastrop are being asked to boil their water before drinking it.
Firefighters tapping into water lines to fight the wildfires has led to decreased water pressure in Aqua Water Supply Corp. pipes, which allows harmful microbes to enter the pipes, officials said.
Aqua Water’s 18,000 customers are being asked to boil their water for two minutes before drinking it. The pipes cannot be repaired until the burn area is safe to enter and chlorinated water is flushed through the system, officials said.
Texas 71 will reopen between Bastrop and Smithville at 8 a.m. tomorrow.
Fisher said officials made the decision because most areas of the fire area near the four-lane road have been declared safe, though smoke may remain a problem. He said reduced speed limits may be imposed for a time.
In addition, Fisher said only through traffic will be allowed on the highway.
“We won’t be allowing any egress or access onto the side streets and roads, just through traffic,” he said.
McDonald said 844 personnel are on the ground fighting the fire, along with three helicopters and 143 engines.
Fisher said it is unlikely that firefighters will need to use a DC-10 plane that has been on standby at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
There was confusion involving the air support, with some saying that the plane, which was moved here from California, would be used for the Bastrop fire. However, the plane is dedicated to be on call for any Texas fire, and at this time, Bastrop area officials have not deemed it necessary.
It’s a costly option, too, as each use runs at least $70,000, Fisher said.
“It’s an asset, it’s available,” he said.
The plane left Austin shortly before 11 a.m. to fight the Riley Road fire northwest of Houston that spans four counties, Texas Forest Service officials said. That fire, which has consumed 15,000 acres, continues to grow and burn additional acres, said Nick Harrison, a spokesman for the service.
A few residents who attended the morning briefing shouted out questions about help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said at the briefing that he wrote a second letter today to President Barack Obama, asking for aid.
The letter came from Dewhurst because he’s the acting governor while Gov. Rick Perry is out of state.
A disaster declaration would give Texas access to heavy equipment and federal dollars, said Dewhurst, who’s running for U.S. Senate.
“We need help yesterday,” Dewhurst said. But so far, he added, “Nothing’s happened.”
Speaking directly to the president, Dewhurst said: “Mr. President, we need a statewide disaster declaration right away.”
Related story: Progress continues with Steiner Ranch, Spicewood fires, officials say
September 6, 2011
Fire destroys Cedar Park apartment building, another damaged
9:30 p.m. update: The fire has been contained and crews are working on putting out hot spots. The fire destroyed one apartment building that had eight individual units in it, and damaged another building. Officials said they did not yet know how many people have been displaced.
Earlier: Two apartment buildings have caught fire on Cypress Creek Road in Cedar Park, according to officials.
The Middle Brook Gardens Apartments at 335 Cypress Creek Road caught fire sometime around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The fire is contained but is still burning, officials said.
The fire was contained to two apartment buildings and 16 individual units. One of the buildings is considered a total loss.
There have been no injuries reported and officials have not yet determined a cause.
This blog has been fixed to show the correct name of Cypress Creek Road.
Help for fire victims
The Statesman has created a Facebook community page devoted to recovery and relief efforts. We encourage the community to share links and information on it.
As wildfires continue to burn, a number of Central Texas organizations and individuals are offering ways to help the victims:
Central Texas Wildfire Fund
The American-Statesman is partnering with Austin Telco Federal Credit Union to support the Austin Community Foundation’s Central Texas Wildfire Fund. Donations will be given to various community organizations. Donations are tax deductible.
Donate by mail: 4315 Guadalupe St. Suite 300, Austin, TX 78751
Donate in person at Austin Telco branches or the American-Statesman office, 305 S. Congress Ave., Austin
Free boarding for pets
VCA Animal Hospitals are offering free boarding for pets whose families have lost homes or have been evacuated. VCA has three animal hospitals in Austin. For contact information, visit www.vcahospitals.com.
Lutheran agency responds to disaster
Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response is participating in relief efforts. To make a donation, visit www.lsss.org/disaster-response
The organization is part of a network that includes the American Red Cross, Central Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and other local and faith-based charities responding to the crisis.
Round Rock church accepting donations
St. Philip’s United Methodist Church at 16321 Great Oaks Drive in Round Rock is collecting donations of diapers, baby wipes, bottled water and Gatorade, trash bags and other items. For a complete list of items, visit http://www.stphilipsumc.org.
Donations are accepted in the church’s Family Life Center, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Scout units across Central Texas helping out
Cub Scout and Boy Scout units from across Central Texas are collecting relief supplies to help families displaced by the wildfires and the first responders battling the flames.
At least 25 separate Scout collection drives are ongoing, with many of them run by an individual Scout unit in its neighborhood. A complete list of these collections may be found at www.bsacac.org/firerelief.
According to the Boy Scouts of America Capitol Area Council, Scouting’s honor society, the Order of the Arrow, has set up eight regional drop-off locations at the following locations:
Wenzel residence, 407 Treetop Way, Buda, 78610 Applied Analytical, Inc., 16713 Picadilly Ct., Round Rock, 78664 (8am-5pm or by appointment) Donnels residence, 2016 Rowe Loop, Pflugerville Neves residence, 1503 Hollow Oak Ct., Austin, 78759 (8am-Noon or 6pm-10pm) Clark residence, 2401 Mockingbird Drive, Round Rock Trujillo residence, 10802 Greymere Ct., Austin MacKay residence, 839 Central Ave., Elgin, 78621 Crawford residence, 3603 Spotted Horse Trl., Austin, 78739
Scouts collecting items tonight in Pflugerville
The Boy Scouts of the Blackland Prairie District are collecting goods for the fire victims.
Troops chartered by First Baptist Church Pflugerville are accepting donations at the church’s food pantry building, adjacent to 801 Pecan St., tonight from 6 to 8 and again on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot at Pfluger and 10th streets.
Personal hygiene items, ladies’ and children’s undergarments, water, non-perishable foods, first aid kits, diapers and dog food are among the many items needed. For information, call 512- 632-5954.
Williamson shelter collecting pet supplies
The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is collecting donations of pet food and other pet supplies.
Food, cat litter, toys and other supplies can be dropped off at the Regional Shelter, 1855 S.E. Inner Loop in Georgetown, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Wednesday) and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. Supplies also can be left at the door after hours. For more information, call 943-3322.
Burnet sheriff’s office seeks fire donations
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office is collecting donations for fire victims in Spicewood and Bastrop County.
The sheriff’s office said it is seeking donations of lightly used clothing for males and females of all ages, personal hygiene items and items that might be useful to people displaced by the wildfires.
Bring donations to the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, 1601 E. Polk, Burnet, Dr. McCurdy’s office in Marble Falls, 2503 U.S. 281 N, or to the Spicewood Community Center.
Monetary donations can be dropped off at the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, Spicewood Community Center or Spicewood Library. The sheriff’s office said monetary donations can also be mailed to the Highland Lakes Legacy Fund, Spicewood Community Center, P.O. Box 44, Spicewood.
Knights of Columbus accepting donations
Knights of Columbus Council 10148 will be accepting contributions from 8 a.m. to noon this morning at H A Guerrero Carpet Cleaners, 2313 S. First St., Austin.
United Way sets up help line
United Way Capital Area Helpline is available to help families affected by the Central Texas wildfires Call 2-1-1 for help and information about evacuations, shelter locations, school closures, road closures and resources for evacuees.
To give to the United Way Capital Area Texas Wildfire Relief Fund, visit www.unitedwaycapitalarea.org. The agency says it will direct all donations to a variety of non-profits providing immediate and long-term relief related to the wildfire crisis.
UWCA is also coordinating in-kind donations from businesses. A list of needs is available at www.unitedwaycapitalarea.org/give/inkinddonation_program.php. Contact Nikki Krueger, UWCA director of volunteer engagement, at 512-382-8611 for corporate donation inquiries.
Williamson YMCA offering help to families in Steiner Ranch, Leander
The YMCA of Greater Williamson County is offering after-school child care and general use of its showers and facilities to those affected by the wildfires in Steiner Ranch and Leander.
Use of showers and facilities is available at Twin Lakes Family YMCA, 204 E. Little Elm Trail in Cedar Park. Hours are from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call 512-250-9622.
Parents currently enrolled in Y Afterschool at any of the Leander ISD elementary schools (Steiner Ranch, Laura Bush & River Ridge) which are closed due to the wildfires may choose another Y school site to take their child to after 2:30 p.m. today. Contact the Y Licensed Child Care offices at 512-615-5563 to make arrangements.
Musicians to help fire refugees.
Local musicians will sing to benefit the Red Cross of Central Texas and fellow performers who have been affected by the wildfires.
The show will be Sunday from noon until 8 p.m. at The Red Shed, 8504 S. Congress Ave. Admission is $15. Contact 512-787-3775 or Rachael.Oneil@gmail.com for more information. Organizers are asking for donations of non-perishable food items, clothing, toys, diapers and toiletries.
According to a press release, Shelley King, Wendy Colona, John Pointer, Mark Allen Atwood, The Chevelles, Ginger Leigh and Will Dunlap are among the musicians scheduled to perform.
Group seeks donations for Steiner Ranch victims
Austin Christian Fellowship is collecting and distributing items for Steiner Ranch residents who have been displaced by the wildfire.
The church is seeking donations of non-perishable snacks, heavy duty trash bags, work gloves, cleaning products, diapers, socks, underwear and gifts for children. Donations will be accepted until 7 Wednesday night at Austin Christian Fellowship, 6401 River Place Blvd. Call 512-381-5700 for information, or visit www.acfellowship.org. for information on how to donate and volunteer.
Help for pet owners
Austin Pets Alive is helping people displaced by the fires who need help with their pets. If you need a place to board your pet or need food or supplies, email the organization at pass@austinpetsalive.org or call (512) 961-6433.
Hospital open for firefighters seeking food, showers
Firefighters and emergency and medical personnel responding to the Central Texas wildfires, particularly those who have traveled from out of the area, are invited to get free showers, food and drinks at the emergency entrance to Dell Children’s Medical Center, 4900 Mueller Blvd., Austin.
Dell Children’s, part of the Seton Healthcare Family, is located just east of Interstate 35 between U.S. 290 and Airport Boulevard. For more information, contact Elizabeth Wilhite, Dell Children’s Emergency Department manager at 512-324-0000, ext. 86557.
Book store donating portion of sales
BookPeople said it will donation a portion of its sales, in-store and online, from Tuesday though Friday to help wildfire victims. Cashiers will also accept direct donations to the Red Cross.
Hays 4-H collecting donations for Bastrop victims
West San Marcos 4-H is collecting toiletries, bath and bed linens and pet food for Bastrop families affected by the wildfire. For information on donation drop-offs or pick-ups, contact Hays County Sheriff’s Lt. Dennis Gutierrez at 512-393-7877.
Smithville store accepting donations.
Old Wind’s Dollar General Store is accepting clothing donations at 210 Main St., Smithville.
Other organizations seeking donations:
American Red Cross of Central Texas: 2218 Pershing Drive, Austin 78723, 512-929-1250 www.centex.redcross.org
Austin Disaster Relief Network: P.O. Box 3817, Cedar Park 78630, 512-331-2200; www.austindisasterreliefnetwork.org
Capital Area Food Bank: Accepting nonperishable food donations (canned meats, granola bars, peanut butter, bottled water) at 8201 S. Congress Ave., Austin, 512-282-2111; www.austinfoodbank.org
North donation locations: Georgetown Caring Place, 2000 Railroad St., 512-869-4735
Round Rock Round Rock Serving Center, 1099 East Main St., 512-244-2431;
SVDP Round Rock, 620 Round Rock West, 512-255-2330
- Catholic Charities of Central Texas
Accepting monetary donations as well as items such as blankets, pillows, toiletries and medical supplies from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1817 E. Sixth St., Austin, and 7-10 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. at 6225 U.S. 290 East. www.ccctx.org
- Frost Bank
Austin branches are designated as collection points for those wishing to donate needed items and money for families affected by the fires.
- H-E-B
Collecting donations to American Red Cross at its stores’ checkout stands.
September 5, 2011
Fires rage throughout Central Texas, including in Leander, Bastrop, Hill Country
Several wildfires continue to burn, and many neighborhoods have been forced to evacuate throughout Central Texas. High winds and low humidity today will increase the chances that wildfires will start and spread quickly, officials said.
Winds are expected to die down to less than 10 mph Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
The Red Cross of Central Texas’ website has more information on where to evacuate and how to donate to victims.
For a map of all wildfires burning in Texas, click here
Related story: School closures planned for Tuesday amid area fires
This blog will be updated throughout the day as new information becomes available.
Williamson County
Five hundred people have been evacuated and at least 13 homes destroyed by a fire in Leander, officials said tonight.
The 300-acre fire, which began about 4:40 p.m., is burning in an area that stretches from Bagdad Road to U.S. 183, and from Crystal Falls Parkway to South Street. Officials said at 9 p.m. that the blaze was 70 percent contained.
Among the evacuated subdivision are Mason Creek, Mason Creek North, High Chaparral and Los Vista. Evacuated residents are being sent to Rouse High School, east of the 183-A toll road near Crystal Falls Parkway.
Fire departments from Leander, Sam Bass, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Hutto, Weir, Jollyville and Jarrell are fighting the blaze, along with officials from the Williamson County sheriff’s office and EMS.
County Judge Dan A. Gattis issued a disaster declaration earlier today because of the threat of widespread or severe damage from the drought and wildfires, county spokeswoman Connie Watson said.
The declaration notifies the state that the county may need to request additional resources, including for fire suppression or for sheltering, Watson said. It also means that county departments have been activated and county personnel have either been called in or are on standby to help, Watson said.
Bastrop
Gov. Rick Perry said he will seek a major disaster declaration from the federal government to help in recovery efforts from the Texas wildfires.
“We will pick up the pieces. We will rebuild,” Perry said at a news conference at the Bastrop Convention Center this afternoon.
Perry said he’s seen a lot of fires, but “this is as mean-looking as I’ve ever seen.”
The Texas Forest Service is reporting another brush fire in Bastrop County, dubbed the Union Chapel fire, which is currently on Texas 71 near Cedar Creek High School, Forest Service spokeswoman Jan Amen said.
The fire has jumped west of Tahitian Drive, endangering another batch of homes. Bastrop County Emergency Coordinator Mike Fisher said it’s “certainly” spreading. Crews are trying to stop it before it jumps Texas 21, officials said.
About 25,000 acres had burned and 476 homes have been destroyed in the county as of 3:45 p.m., according to the Texas Forest Service.
The fires started in the Lost Pines area Sunday, jumped the Colorado River twice and are not contained, Amen said.
Officials did not have an estimate of when the fires will be contained. There have been no reports of injuries, Amen said.
“The fire is probably going to get worse before it gets better,” Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald said.
Mandatory evacuations are in effect for several neighborhoods, including Tahitian Village, Colovista and the Colony.
Residents have been evacuated to Bastrop Middle School at 709 Old Austin Highway and Ascension Catholic Church at 905 Water St. Residents were also evacuated to the First Baptist Church in Bastrop, Grace Lutheran Church in Smithville and the Smithville Recreation Center. Nobody is being allowed back into their homes, officials said.
Officials are asking anyone who evacuated to check in to the evacuation centers so officials can get an accurate count of who was evacuated and how many homes may be destroyed.
Residents can also check in or get more information by calling 512-332-8814 or 512-332-8856. The Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management is also providing information via its Facebook page.
Bastrop school officials have canceled school tomorrow, and all school-related activities, including athletic events and extracurricular activities, have been canceled.
Fire agencies are “some days off” from bringing the fires under control, said Dan Kleiman, unified incident commander in Bastrop County. “(Weather) conditions really need to change,” he said.
Park officials are also concerned about threats to the endangered Houston toad, officials said. The 124,000-acre Lost Pines area of Bastrop County, which includes Bastrop State Park, is home to the largest known population of the small, reclusive amphibians in the United States.
State parks division director Brent Leisure said the toad has already been stressed by the ongoing drought, and loss of habitat caused by wildfires that have covered two-thirds of the park will likely impact the toad further.
The director of Cedar Creek’s Capital of Texas Zoo, Michael Hicks, said he was evacuating the facility about 5:30 p.m. Monday and didn’t have time to provide further details.
Steiner Ranch
As of 9:25 p.m., power was restored to all circuits at Steiner Ranch, Austin Energy said.
Homes damaged by fire remain without power, as do about 236 others that are still in need of assessment and repairs. Those homes are on Steiner Ranch Blvd between John Simpson Trail and Epperson Trail and in the Medina River Way and McNelly Trail area.
The utility had no estimate Monday night on when those repairs would be done.
The fire in Steiner Ranch is currently only 25 percent contained, officials said at 10 p.m. Officials adjusted other numbers late Monday as well: Twenty-three homes instead of 24 have been destroyed and 20 homes have been damaged instead of 30. Officials said 125 acres have burned.
The neighborhood is still closed and will probably not open until Tuesday morning at the earliest. There have been no reports of injuries, and 300 homes were saved, officials said.
Firefighters from the Dallas area have come to Travis County to help fight the fire, officials said. STAR Flight helicopters have made 300 dumps of water and have been in the air for over 18 hours, officials said.
Emergency crews are having problems with traffic on RM 620 as rubberneckers go out to watch the fire. Also, they’re dealing with people trying to go back into their homes to retrieve pets and property. There are no plans in place for firefighters to rescue pets, officials said.
“Progress has been and will continue to be slow,” Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell said.
Homeowners can find information on individual homes at Vandegrift High School, located at 9500 McNeil Drive, Capt. Frank Loftin with the Travis County sheriff’s office said. People are being asked to bring a photo ID, Loftin said.
For more information, call 512-974-6199 or visit the website of Austin’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.
Many Steiner Ranch residents have asked where state air units have been during the fire. The answer, fire officials said, is that state crews have been too busy with the 25,000-acre fire in Bastrop.
“The entire state, especially Central Texas, is under siege right now,” Lake Travis Fire Rescue Chief Jim Linardos said. “We are going to do the best we can. That’s the only promise I can make.”
Four schools in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood, three elementary schools and one middle school, are closed. They will not open until electricity is restored, officials said.
Steiner Ranch residents have set up a Facebook page with more information.
A portion of Lake Travis is closed to allow aircraft to draw water from the lake to fight wildfires, Lower Colorado River Authority Clara Tuma said in a statement. The area from Mile Marker 1 to Mansfield Dam is closed to all traffic effective immediately.
“The boat ramp at Mansfield Dam Park is closed, but the park remains open,” the statement said. “Boats can be removed from the water, but no launches will be permitted until the aircraft operations are completed later today.”
Pedernales Bend
Strong winds and heavy flare-ups have combined to cause the Pedernales Bend fire to escape containment, officials said this afternoon. The fire, which started near Haynie Flat Road about noon Saturday, was about 80 percent contained about noon, an Austin fire official said. However, by 9 p.m. the number was 40 percent contained.
At 10 p.m. Monday, that containment figure had dropped to 10 to 20 percent.
Crews are still fighting the fire, which has gone south of Texas 71 and has split into a second fire.
The fire burned about 6,400 acres and was about 2 miles wide and 5 miles long at its peak, de la Reza said.
There were no reported injuries.
As of 10 p.m., officials said 65 homes had been destroyed.
More than 100 firefighters and three helicopters were fighting the fire as of 5 p.m., officials said.
Residents were evacuated to Pedernales River Fellowship and Grace United Fellowship overnight, officials said. Officials do not know when residents will be allowed to return to their homes.
Residents seeking more information can call 974-6199.
Texas 71 between Paleface Ranch Road to Fall Creek Road remains closed, officials said.
Power has been restored to all but 545 residents in the Spicewood area, officials with the Pedernales Electric Coop said Monday afternoon.
Hays County
Hays County officials are still concerned that the Pedernales fire could move toward Hays.
The fire is about 3 miles north of Hamilton Pool Road in Travis County, but with increasing winds and lowering humidity, emergency management officials say it continues to be a potentially dangerous situation.
Officials are recommending that residents in the Stagecoach Ranch subdivision and the Bell Springs-Lost Creek-Grand Summit areas remain away from their homes. An evacuation shelter is available at Dripping Springs Middle School on Tiger Lane in Dripping Springs.
Hays County officials said the evacuation area is being closed to incoming traffic. Residents will be allowed to leave the area via Hamilton Pool Road, but vehicles will not be allowed to enter until further notice.
Hays County spokeswoman Laureen Chernow said officials had requested evacuation last night, but not everyone evacuated and some people may have returned.
“We want to make sure everyone understands now is the time to leave if they haven’t already,” she said.
Residents seeking more information about the situation in Hays can call the county information line at 512-753-2180. Information is also available on the Hays County website and on twitter at www.twitter.com/hayscounty.
If you have a story to tell about the fires or evacuations, call staff writer Patrick George at (512) 445-3548 or email at pgeorge@statesman.com.
Photos: Wildfires burn across Central Texas
Overnight fires update from Emergency Operations Center
The Emergency Operations Center issued this update overnight:
Travis County evacuees, including those from Steiner Ranch, can receive the latest evacuation information by calling (512) 974-6199.
Residents who have evacuated their homes in the Steiner Ranch area will not be allowed to return until notified. Officials estimate this will not occur until at least noon on Monday, Sept. 5.
The fire near the Steiner Ranch area is five to ten percent contained while 30 units continue to battle the fire. There is currently no estimate on when the fire will be contained. Currently, an estimated 20 homes have been destroyed, with at least 20 homes damaged. The area is also experiencing comprehensive power outages and many homes are without gas.
The fire near Perdenales has caused an estimated 500 acres in damage and destroyed an estimated 20 homes.
There is currently no information regarding which homes have been destroyed by either fire.
There are minimal injuries and no known fatalities at this time.
High-winds are expected Monday as another red flag warning will likely be in effect. The current dry conditions and high-winds will continue to make the area vulnerable to fires. Residents are encouraged to avoid outdoor flames of any kind, including barbeques and smokers, as well as to use caution with cigarettes and other flammables.
September 4, 2011
Fires raging throughout Central Texas
UPDATE 8:30 PM: The fire in Bastrop County has been confirmed to have burned 14,000 acres and has grown to become an estimated 16 miles long, said Mark Stanford, fire chief of the Texas Forest Service.
“It’s catastrophic,” Stanford said of the Bastrop County fire. “It’s a major natural disaster.”
Forest service spokeswoman Lexi Maxwell said that fire began around 2 p.m. in the Circle D subdivision off State Highway 71. It merged with another fire north of there which pushed south and crossed over State Highways 21 and 71, Maxwell said. Aerial units estimated at least 300 homes had been damaged or destroyed by the fire.
Maxwell said another, unrelated fire has been reported in the The Colony subdivision in Bastrop County, which has forced evacuations.
UPDATE 7:30 P.M.: Mark Stanford, the fire chief for the Texas Forest Service , said subdivisions have been evacuated there but they have no estimate on what structures have been lost.
People are being told to evacuate to the First Baptist Church in Smithville and Bastrop Middle School, Stanford said.
In addition, State Highways 71 and 21 in Bastrop County have been closed, Stanford said.
Update, 6:48 p.m.: Wildfires have consumed more than 6,000 acres in Bastrop County, and firefighters are still working to get the blazes under control.
According to Bastrop Police Department Spokesman Michal Hubbard, hundreds of homes have been evacuated, including those at the Colony, west of the city of Bastrop, and Tahitian Village to the east. Several structures have been lost, he said.
UPDATE 6:45 P.M.: The Austin Fire Department has asked us to get the word out to any available firefighters in the area to be ready for duty.
“AFD is looking for 25 firefighters to call back in for possible activation,” spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane said. “Firefighters who are available to come in to work should call 978-1187 as soon as possible. We will be taking contact information and determining exactly how many folks we need to activate immediately vs. later.”
Today’s fires have taxed every fire department in Travis County. The Austin Fire Department 14 available fire units in Austin, but can only send one fire truck to the scene of traffic accidents currently, DeCrane said. They’re also not sending units to low priority (non-emergency) 911 calls.
EARLIER: Firefighters are battling fires across Central Texas right now, including one that has burned through nearly 200 acres in Pflugerville and others that are currently forcing evacuations in Pflugerville, Steiner Ranch and Bastrop County.
A grass fire has consumed 200 acres in the Weiss Lane area of Pflugerville and is not yet under control, said Travis County sheriff’s department spokesman Roger Wade. Another 10 homes are currently in the path of the fire. Firefighters are taking steps to protect those homes by wetting down areas and other fire prevention techniques, he said.
Meanwhile, firefighters are battling fires at two homes in the Gatlinburg subdivision on Pigeon Ford Road in Pflugerville. The fire ran along the fence line separating the houses and jumped to a hay field. The fire is now threatening the nearby Boulder Ridge subdivision, which has been evacuated, said Pflugerville spokeswoman Terri Waggoner. Waggoner said the cause of that fire is undetermined and that rumors of arson are false.
“There is no arson, no suspicion of arson, and the source is still unknown,” she said. In Bastrop County, the Colony subdivision is being evacuated. It is located off of Highway 71, several miles west of Bastrop.
A separate fire east of Bastrop has burned through 6,000 acres, according to the office of Bastrop Judge Ronnie McDonald. Texas 71 and Texas 21 east of Bastrop are closed, and the fire is not contained, his office said.
People at the Steiner Ranch subdivision, in northwest Travis County off of RM 620, are also being evacuated. Three homes are currently on fire, and the fires are still spreading, said Assistant Fire Chief John Durham.
“We don’t have any containment,” Durham said. “We being told there are no aircraft resources available, so this is a ground battle.”
Earlier today, a fire in Cedar Park ignited in a field behind houses on Bois D’Arc Lane and destroyed two homes. Fire Chief Chris Connealy said the fire was reported about 11:30 a.m. and was considered contained by 1:45 p.m. Crews will remain on the scene to spread fire retardant and watch for flareups, he said.
The two families who lost their homes, in the 2600 block of Bois D’Arc, were getting help from the Red Cross and a local church.
Steiner Ranch residents told to evacuate to Vandegrift High School
Residents in the Steiner Ranch subdivision are being asked to evacuate their homes and set up at Vandegrift High School, Lake Travis Fire Rescue Chief Jim Linardos said.
Speaking briefly, Linardos said his department and others are in the middle of a “major incident” there and are working to evacuate people. Fires in that area are burning up homes, he said.
The high school is located at 9500 McNeil Drive off RM 2222.
Check back for more details.
Wildfires destroy homes, force evacuations; Pedernales, Pflugerville, Cedar Park among areas affected
Updated at 4:35 p.m.:
Another fire has broken out in the Pedernales area off Paleface Ranch Road, off Texas 71 in western Travis County.
Fire officials had hoped the road would help keep the fire from spreading, but the fire already has “jumped across…and is headed toward the lake,” said Westlake Fire Chief Gary Warren, who is helping coordinate resources for several fires burning in Travis County. “They are working hard to control that one.”
It is unclear how large the fire is at this time, but it is uncontained, Warren said. Fire officials across Central Texas are taxed as several fires have broken out in Pflugeville, Cedar Park, Pedernales and Bastrop.
“We don’t know how any of these started yet. We’re just busy trying to fight them,” Warren said.
A Travis County STAR Flight helicopter is en route to provide air reconnaissance, he said.
Fire officials have also asked the state to provide assistance for the Pedernales and Pflugerville fires.
Updated at 4:26 p.m.:
The brush fire has consumed 175-200 acres in the Weiss Lane area of Pflugerville and is not yet under control, said Travis County sheriff’s department spokesman Roger Wade.
Another 10 homes are currently in the path of the fire. Firefighters are taking steps to protect those homes by wetting down areas and other fire prevention techniques, Wade said.
Meanwhile, firefighters are battling fires at two homes in the Gatlinburg subdivision off Immanuel Road, he said.
Updated at 2:57 p.m.: Updates that there were three fires in Pflugerville; release from Pflugerville police appended.
Crews are battling brush fires around the area today, and at least two homes have been destroyed.
One of three brush fires in Pflugerville is still burning, and residents have been evacuated in an area near Hodde Lane. An earlier fire near Pfluger and Willow streets that burned 20 acres has reportedly been extinguished. Check back soon for more details.
Meanwhile, a fire in Cedar Park that ignited in a field behind houses on Bois D’Arc Lane destroyed two homes there. Fire Chief Chris Connealy said the fire was reported about 11:30 a.m. and was considered contained by 1:45 p.m. Crews will remain on the scene to spread fire retardant and watch for flareups, he said.
The two families who lost their homes, in the 2600 block of Bois D’Arc, were getting help from the Red Cross and a local church, the chief said.
FROM THE PFLUGERVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT:
On 09-04-11 three separate grass fires erupted threatening structures and farm land in Pflugerville between 11:00am and 12:55pm.
The first fire was reported at 11:00 am. The Pflugerville Police Department received a phone call from a resident advising that there was a grass fire in the 600 Block of E. Pfluger La. The fire rapidly moved southeast through a field and tree line. Several acres of farm land and trees were damaged by the fire. Due to the high winds, the fire jumped the 15900 block of Dessau Rd. starting several small grass fires and threatening structures. Pflugerville Fire Department was assisted by Pflugerville Police Department, Travis County Sheriff’s Department, Austin Fire Department, Manor Fire Department, Starflight and Austin EMS. As of 1:49pm the fire was completely contained and extinguished.
At 1208 pm the Pflugerville Police DeÂpartment received another call of a grass fire at Hodde La. and Cele Rd., in Travis County Sheriff’s Department jurisdiction. Upon officers arrival a grass fire was located at 19727 Hodde La. and was rapidly moving through open fields in a south easterly direction towards the Reserves at Westcreek.
Residents of the Reserves at Westcreek were evacuated to Hendrickson High School. As of 2:00pm, the fire is not contained and is moving south, paralleling Wilke Lane. The Pflugerville Fire Department, Manor Fire Department, Austin Fire Department, Starflight and Round Rock Fire Department are actively fighting the fire. Travis County Sheriff’s Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Pflugerville ISD Police and Pflugerville Police Department are also on scene. All inquires regarding this incident should be made to TCSO Public Information Officer.
At 12:55 pm the Pflugerville Police DeÂpartment received yet another call of a grass fire threatening a densely populated area in the 16000 block of Stoneham Cir. The fire broke out behind 16111 Stoneham Cir.
Pflugerville Police Department, Austin Fire Department and Pflugerville ISD Police responded to the scene. There were no residential structures damaged in this fire. Damages included one storage shed and approximately 300 feet of privacy fence belonging to seven different homes.
Estimates for total damages and losses are not available at this time.
September 3, 2011
45-acre Wimberley fire contained Saturday morning
After working through the night, firefighters contained a 45-acre fire in Wimberley Saturday morning, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
The three-acre fire started Fulton Ranch Road and Freeman Road yesterday evening, moving toward the Saddleridge subdivision. The fire was 60 percent contained as of 9 p.m. last night. The Wild Land Task Force remained on the scene Saturday to clean up and make sure the fire didn’t rekindle.
September 2, 2011
North Austin apartment fire leaves three people injured
An early morning fire at a North Austin apartment complex left three people injured and damaged three units, an official said.
The fire started on a second floor balcony at the Barrington at Park Place Apartments at 3220 Duval Road near MoPac Boulevard around 3 a.m., the official said. Residents of a 24-unit building were evacuated, and three apartments were damaged, he said.
Two residents were injured with burns to their feet and taken to the hospital for treatment, he said.
Also, six cats were rescued from the apartment where the fire started. Five of those cats were resuscitated, he said. When one of the cats came to, it bit a firefighter, who became the third person injured, the official said.
By 6:30 a.m., residents of all but the three damaged units were allowed to return to their homes, he said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but caused $200,000 in damage, the official said.
August 31, 2011
Wildfire knocks out power to portions of Ft. Hood
Fort Hood officials are reporting a power outage and road closure due to a Jack Mountain fire that consumed two power poles about 10 a.m. this morning, according to a statement released today.
The fire, which started Tuesday, knocked out power to West Range Road facilities and crossed West Range Road, forcing officials to close the road from Elijah Road in the North to the Dalton Mountain Multiuse Range, including the area near Brown’s Creek Multiuse Range, the statement said.
Texas Forestry Service aircraft are scheduled to fly over the area later today to provide a site assessment, officials said.
All Fort Hood fire crews have worked the fire through the night. The fire has burned more than 750 acres.
KWTX-TV reported that firefighting efforts were complicated because of concerns there may be live ammunition in the area. The fire was burning near an area where a 7,000-acre fire broke out a week earlier.
August 29, 2011
Fire at Northeast Austin shed contained
A minor fire at a storage shed for a Northeast Austin animal clinic was quickly contained, an Austin fire official said.
The fire broke out shortly after 6 a.m. at the shed behind Animal Trustees of Austin clinic at 5129 Cameron Road near 51st Street, the official said. It was contained shortly after, the official said.
The shed appeared to be used just for storage and no injuries were reported, the official said.
The fire forced the temporary closure of some nearby lanes, but has since been reopened, the official said.
August 27, 2011
Two children taken to Dell with electrical burns
UPDATE, 4:30: Responding to an apartment fire this morning, Austin fire fighters found no fire but damaged electrical wiring after water was sprayed from a hose into an electrical box on the building’s exterior, officials said.
Two boys, ages 5 and 7, were taken to Dell Children’s Medical Center with non-life threatening electrical burns, officials said.
Power was shut off to the entire complex, located on Patton Lane in Northeast Austin, affecting 30 units.
EARLIER: Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services transported two children to Dell Children’s Medical Center Saturday morning after officials responded to a fire in Northeast Austin.
The children were injured while playing near an electrical box on Patton Lane, officials said. The fire didn’t spread, Austin Fire Department Captain Peter Teliha said, and other than cutting utilities to the residence, there were no other injuries or damage.
Teliha said he had no further details about the final investigation.
EMS spokesman Warren Hassinger said he didn’t know why the children were taken to Dell, but he assumed it was burn-related. He had no information about their condition.
August 26, 2011
Wimberley brush fire under control
UPDATE, 2:40: An electrical line that sparked this morning started the fire in Wimberley according to an eye-witness account, Hays County Fire Marshal Mark Chambers said.
Seven houses were threatened by the fire, which spread across five acres from the time it was reported around 11 a.m.. Fire fighters had the blaze under control by noon.
About 30 personnel from four fire departments, including Wimberley’s, responded to the scene, Chambers said. He anticipated they would remain on the scene through the afternoon putting out hot spots.
Chambers said his office’s investigation into this fire is closed, but each of the 11 fires that started during a three-day period earlier this month are still under scrutiny, Chambers said.
Chambers declined to elaborate on the investigations other than identifying a vehicle of interest — an older, white four-door.
UPDATE, noon: The fire is under control, with no damage or injuries reported, officials said. The Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department is snuffing hot spots and cleaning up.
UPDATE, 11:44 a.m.: The Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department is on location assessing the size of the fire, which has spread, officials said. The Wildland Task Force is heading to the scene.
EARLIER: HAYS COUNTY — A brush fire in Wimberley is reportedly spreading in the direction of residences, but no damage or injuries have been reported, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office received a report before 11 a.m. today of a brush fire near 171 Wolf Creek Pass. The Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department and sheriff’s deputies are en route, officials said.
The size of the fire is still unknown. (If you’ve got pictures of the fire, you can email them to me here.)
Check back for more details.
August 24, 2011
Brush fire near Y at Oak Hill quickly contained
A two-alarm brush fire at two homes near the Y at Oak Hill has been contained, fire officials said this morning. See a photo gallery here.
The fire, in the 12000 block of U.S. 290, involved at least two homes, brush and power lines, the officials said.
The fire broke out shortly after 7:30 a.m. and was contained shortly after 8 a.m., said Mike Elliott, assistant fire chief for Emergency Service District No. 3 and 9, otherwise known as the Oak Hill and Westlake fire departments, which often work in conjunction on area fires.
There were no injuries reported and no immediate reports regarding the extent of damage to the homes or how many acres burned in the fire before it was contained, Elliott said.
The cause of the fire was not immediate known either, he said.
Contrary to earlier reports that the fire occurred at a nearby nursery, the owner said that was not the case. Debbie Jackson, owner of nearby Sagebrush Landscaping, said her six-year-old business was not affected, but was told the fire occurred at a mobile home behind her property instead. There are several mobile homes located in the area behind her business on one to five-acre lots, she said.
Correction: This entry has been corrected to say the fire did not occur at Sagebrush nursery
August 23, 2011
10-acre grass fire consumes two storage buildings in Lockhart
A grass fire consumed two storage buildings and about 10 acres in Lockhart, officials said.
Firefighters received a call about the fire south of Summerside Avenue, near U.S. 183, around 4:45 p.m. today, Lockhart fire chief Jerry Doyle said. The fire was contained by 8:30 p.m., Doyle said, after firefighters from eight agencies battled the blaze.
There was no word on the cause and no estimates of the damaget, Doyle said, and there were no injuries.
Pflugerville blaze linked to charcoal fire
An unattended charcoal grill caused the fire that burned two homes near Wells Branch Parkway in Pflugerville on Monday, officials said. No injuries were reported.
The fire destroyed one home and burned the side of another, causing more than $400,000 in building damage, Pflugerville Fire Lt. Tim Wallace said. There’s no estimate on damage to contents of either house, he said.
Two families have been displaced in a fire that has been ruled accidental, Wallace said.
August 22, 2011
Pflugerville fire burns two homes
A fire that began in one house near Wells Branch Parkway in Pflugerville has spread dot a second home, fire officials said.
A house in the 2000 block of Surrender Avenue was reported shortly before 3 p.m. The fire spread to a neighboring house and fire officials are still fighting the blaze.
No injuries have been reported and a cause has not yet been determined.
Updated: Two fires burn more than 7,500 acres in Fort Hood
Updated at 4:03 p.m.: Officials said the larger fire, known as the Robinette Fire, has burned 6,180 acres, revising an earlier estimate of 7,000 acres.
Containment remains at 80 percent, while the smaller blaze, known as the Pilot Knob fire, continues to burn at 1,500 acres and is 60 percent contained, Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway said.
About 125 firefighters from the post’s fire department and Texas Forest Service in addition to about 200 soldiers are fighting the fire, Broadway said. A forest service helicopter is dropping water on the fire, which is not expected to approach any structures, Broadway said.
It will be at least another couple of days until both fires are fully out, Broadway said.
Earlier: Two fires have burned a combined 8,500 acres on Fort Hood since Saturday.
Both fires are on in the middle of 350-square-mile post’s firing range, off West Range Road, Fort Hood spokesman Chris Haug said. The fires are not near any structures or people and nobody has been evacuated, Haug said.
The larger fire has burned 7,000 acres since being reported around 4 p.m. Saturday and is about 80 percent contained. A smaller fire has burned 1,500 acres since 10 p.m. Saturday and is 60 percent contained.
The two fires are about six miles apart and not expected to combine, Haug said.
Officials do not know either fire’s cause.
A third fire also started Saturday at Fort Hood, but was contained within hours. It burned about 20 acres and knocked down power lines, temporarily leaving some residents without power.
Photos from today:
Photo Credit: Texas Forest Service
August 20, 2011
Firefighters responding to downtown high-rise fire
Updated at 7:04 p.m.: About a dozen firefighters are still at the Littlefield Building clearing it of smoke and expecting to leave soon, a fire department spokesman said.
As many as 64 firefighters were on scene earlier after a generator in the building’s third-floor mechanical room broke, spilling oil.
“There was more smoke than anything. I don’t think we really ever had fire,” spokesman Matt Cox said.
The burning oil was contained to the building’s large mechanical room and did not damage any offices or residences. Two residences were threatened but the occupants were gone by the time firefighters arrived, Cox said.
Updated at 6:51 p.m.: An electrical malfunction in a generator led to burning oil, officials said.
Two residents were evacuated from the building and are safe. Nobody was injured.
Firefighters are downgrading the call as engines leave the scene.
Earlier: Austin firefighters are responding to a fire in the Littlefield Building on 6th Street and Congress Avenue in downtown.
Smoke was spotted from a mechanical room in the building and several units are responding, according to fire officials.
August 19, 2011
200-acre brush fire in Blanco County
Update: Firefighters are battling a 200 acre fire in Blanco County that is currently 50 percent contained, said Lexi Maxwell, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service.
A firefighter and a woman were both treated at the scene and released, said Maxwell. The firefighter had minor burns to his arm and the woman was suffering from stress, she said. Two small buildings were destroyed by the fire, Maxwell said.
It started when the rim of a flat tire on a trailer being hauled by a truck on Bird Lane in Round Mountain blew off sparks, she said. The fire had threatened 50 homes on the west and east sides of U.S. 281, Maxwell said. At one point the flames jumped U.S. 281 which had to be closed because of the smoke, she said.
Firefighters are battling a 200-acre brush fire in Blanco County outside the town of Round Mountain, according to the Blanco County sheriff’s office.
The fire is in the area of County Road 962 and U.S. 281 in the northern part of the county near the Burnet County line, the sheriff’s office said. There have been no injuries and no structures have burned.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. Fire departments are on the scene from Fredericksburg, Willow City, Blanco, Spicewood, Marble Falls, Johnson City and Round Mountain, according to the sheriff’s office.
August 18, 2011
Grass fire closes U.S. 183
UPDATE 8 p.m. Fire officials said around five acres burned and the cause was accidental.
A grass fire on Ed Bluestein Drive (U.S. 183) near Techni Center Drive has caused the shutdown of the highway.
An Austin fire official said the fire was not threatening any buildings in the area and that no buildings have been evacuated. The fire was contained about 7:20 p.m.
No injuries have been reported.
Ed Bluestein remains closed until fire officials have cleared the scene.
August 16, 2011
30 acre Florence grass fire 95% contained
FROM THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE:
At approximately 4:15 p.m. today, a grass fire was reported near the Vineyard at Florence at FM 487 and CR 232 that spread to 25 to 30 acres.
Fire fighters from six agencies currently have the fire 95% contained. Ten structures were threatened and saved, and there were no injuries. Assisting Florence Fire Department were fire departments from Jarrell, Weir, Georgetown, Sam Bass, and Hutto.
Also assisting were the Texas Forest Service, Starflight, Department of Public Safety and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Pct. 2 Constable, Communications and Road and Bridge. The fire was caused by a worker burning a rag.
Leander fire victims allowed to return to area
Update, 12:08 p.m.:
Leander Fire Chief Bill Gardner said this morning that the fire that destroyed 15 homes and damaged seven others started Monday in a brushy area behind a mobile home park. Gardner said that the cause has not yet been determined.
All the destroyed homes were mobile homes along Horseshoe Drive, he said. The fire threatened four neighborhoods in the area of Horseshoe Drive, Lion Drive, Magnolia Creek and Mason Creek North.
The fire, which forced the evacuation of 189 people, started Monday afternoon and was 100 percent contained by about 3 a.m., Gardner said. The emergency shelter at Leander Middle School closed at midnight, and the Gardner said all the evacuees found housing at hotels or with friends. Residents of undamaged homes have all been allowed to return.
The owners of the destroyed homes were getting back into the neighborhood just before noon today to survey the damage. They’re being accompanied by volunteers from Austin Disaster Relief Network, a nonprofit comprising 55 churches. A member of the group, David Stone, said the group was there to provide “initial stress debriefing” and will continue to help the fire victims rebuild their lives.
Groups including the Red Cross are providing support to those who lost homes, including Charles Ernest Young III. Young said Tuesday that he lived in one of the trailers that was destroyed.
“I even lost my truck, which was paid off,” said Young.
He said he lived there with his cousin, Blain Joshua, and they were taking technical classes at ITT. They were returning from Victoria, where they had spent the weekend working at the family restaurant, and were on their way to class when a relative called to tell them that there was a fire in their neighborhood, Young said. When they arrived at the middle school, the fire chief told them their trailer had been destroyed, said Young.
Joshua said that besides losing his television, books and clothes, he also lost his two pet leopard geckos.
“We need help,” said Young. “We don’t know where we’re going to stay tonight.”
The city will hold an emergency management meeting at 6:30 p.m. today, where officials will discuss where people can make donations to victims.
For now, monetary donations can be made to the Williamson County Red Cross, a Leander spokeswoman said. Clothing and other household items can be taken to Hill Country Community Ministries at 1005 Lacy Drive, the spokeswoman said.
Earlier:
The residents of 15 Leander homes that were destroyed in a brush fire yesterday afternoon could be allowed back to the scene today to sift through what’s left of their homes, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service said this morning.
The 30-acre fire spread quickly yesterday afternoon and forced 189 more homes to be evacuated. Most residents were allowed back inside their homes last night, except for a small area where the electricity was turned off as a safety precaution, spokeswoman Lexi Maxwell said.
“It’s a mess,” Maxwell said of the scene this morning. “It’s highly unfortunate. It’s not going to be a good day for these folks.”
Firefighters stayed overnight to try to contain the blaze and extinguishing homes that were on fire.
Displaced residents were temporarily housed at Leander Middle School, but no one spent the night there, Maxwell said. People were provided with hotels or stayed with friends and family. Maxwell said she did not know exactly how many people have been displaced.
Despite the destruction, no deaths have been reported and injuries were few. One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and four firefighters were treated for heat-related issues.
Read our coverage of the fire from today’s paper: Grass fire destroys 15 homes in Leander; cause of blaze still under investigation
August 15, 2011
Leander grass fire destroys 15 homes
(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
10:20 p.m. update Officials in Williamson County said the fire is now 80 percent contained.
9:30 p.m. update:
LEANDER — Connie Watson, public information officer for Williamson County says the fire in Leander has destroyed 15 homes and has affected as many as 189 more. First reported at 4 p.m. on Horseshoe Drive, the fire is now about 20 percent contained.
Homes were evacuated on Lion Drive, Tablerock Circle and Horseshoe Drive. Evacuees are taking shelter at Leander Middle School.
The Leander Fire Department is getting help from more than a dozen fire departments as well as the Texas Forest Service and a Starflight helicopter. The source of the fire is under investigation.
7:30 p.m. update:
LEANDER — Lexi Maxwell, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service, said the Leander fire is 15 percent to 20 percent contained. Ten homes were destroyed, she said, and most were mobile homes. In all, 189 homes have been evacuated, but Maxwell said she did not know the total number of people who were forced to flee.
No one has been injured, she said.
Fifteen fire departments and four law enforcement agencies are at the scene, Maxwell said. Three helicopters are dropping water on the blaze, and three airplanes are dropping fire retardant, she said.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, Maxwell said. The first 911 call came at 4 p.m. from an anonymous source, she said. Maxwell said that firefighting efforts have been hampered by the extremely dry conditions and erratic, gusty winds.
Earlier:
Seven homes in Southwest Leander are on fire and about 60 more are being evacuated because of a grass fire that started around 4:30 p.m. today, according to the Texas Forest Service.
The service said about 25 homes are immediately threatened and several dozen more are being evacuated on the following streets: Lion Drive, Tablerock Circle and Horseshoe Drive. The department has requested help from surrounding fire stations, including Austin.
Connie Watson, a spokeswoman for Williamson County, said no injuries have been reported.
Fire causes extensive damage to Round Rock area home
From the City of Round Rock:
At 7:16 a.m., Monday, Aug. 15, Round Rock Fire Department units responded to a report of a structure fire at 1109 Thorn Creek Place. No one was at the residence at the time of the incident.
The first Fire Department units arrived at 07:23 a.m. The initial officer reported the fire was through the roof of the structure. Firefighters made entry and quickly realized the roof structure had been compromised, called for an evacuation and transitioned into a defensive mode of operations. An aerial ladder was utilized to extinguish the main body of fire. Later, salvage and overhaul operations were initiated.
Two firefighters were transported to the hospital for heat exhaustion. Both were released before noon. Damage is estimated at $150,000.
Twenty-three personnel responded with 3 Engines, a ladder truck, a Quint, a rescue, a command vehicle and support staff. The fire was contained in approximately 22 minutes and totally extinguished within 4 hours. The last Fire Department units cleared the scene at 12:14 p.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. The home is located within Emergency Services District #9, which is outside the City limits. ESD #9 contracts with RRFD for fire response services. The home is in the Chandler Creek Municipal Utility District.
August 14, 2011
Two fires displace eight, Austin Fire Department says
Two Austin fires left eight people without homes Sunday.
Firefighters responded to 4021 Steck Ave., near Mesa Drive in Northwest Austin, about 1 p.m. to battle an apartment fire.
They had been called to a smaller fire at 1137 Eleanor St., east of Springdale Road near Springdale Park, about midnight. That fire, which displaced five, was caused by barbecue pit ashes that sparked up, causing about $6,000 in damage.
Officials said three people at the Steck home were displaced. They said that blaze did about $85,000 in damage and was caused by a cigarette that wasn’t properly disposed of.
One firefighter was treated at the Steck fire for heat exhaustion and quickly recovered, officials said.
August 13, 2011
Brush fire in Burnet County burns 250-acres
A fire in south Burnet County, burning since Friday night, has scorched 250 acres, an official said.
The fire is 85 percent contained, and firefighters expect to have it completely contained by Sunday, said Terry White, chief of the Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department.
Twelve homes were under voluntary evacuation and no structural damage or injuries have been reported, White said.
About 100 firefighters and 17 different agencies including law enforcement and medical personnel are responding, White said.
The fire was likely sparked by a bird that was electrocuted after sitting on a transformer on a ranch house on County Road 401 about 1.5 miles south of Highway 71, White said. The fire since moved northwest, touching the Highway 71-U.S. 281 interchange.
View Larger Map
After rekindling this morning, Hays County fire again contained
A grass fire in Dripping Springs that Hays County officials declared contained last night rekindled this morning before firefighters again stamped it out.
Hays County deputies evacuated homes on Sports Park Drive and Terry’s Mobile Home Park, among other nearby residence yesterday as crews responded to a slow-moving 20-30 acre fire moving north of Butler Ranch Road.
Residents were allowed back into their homes by yesterday evening.
Brandy Reuter, a spokeswoman with the Hays County Sheriff’s office, said the Hays County Fire Marshal’s Office is still investigating the fire’s cause.
August 12, 2011
Grass fire contained in Dripping Springs
Updated at 5:05 p.m.: Hays County officials have declared the grass fire in Dripping Springs as being contained and that evacuated residents are being allowed back in their homes.
Deputies are still on scene and have Butler Ranch Road and Sports Park Drive closed to residents only.
Updated at 4:51 p.m.: The fire is moving slowly and appears to be “close to controlled,” a Hays County official said in an email. There are no new evacuations and still not reports of injury or damage.
Earlier: Firefighters are responding to a 20- to 30-acre acre grass fire off Butler Ranch Road in Dripping Springs, officials said.
Hays County deputies are evacuating homes on Sports Park Dr. and Terry’s Mobile Home Park, as well as other nearby residences, a Hays County Sheriff press release said. The fire is heading north of Butler Ranch Road.
No injuries or damaged structures have been reported.
Several agencies, including North Hays Fire Department, are responding to the call that originally came in at 3:25 p.m.
Killeen woman dies in early morning house fire
FROM THE KILLEEN FIRE DEPARTMENT:
The Killeen Fire Department is investigating a house fire and the death of an elderly female during the early morning hours of Friday, August 12, 2011.
Killeen Fire Fighters responded to a report of a house fire in the 3200 block of Lake Travis at 3:36am today. Upon their arrival they could see flames coming from the attic area of the house. They entered the residence to find an unresponsive elderly female inside. The fire fighters removed the female from the house and immediately began CPR; she was then transported to Metroplex Hospital. Justice of the Peace Garland Potvin pronounced the 81 year old female deceased at 4:17am and ordered an autopsy to be performed at the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The cause of the fire has not been determined at this time and continues to be investigated. Information will be provided as it becomes available.
The name of the victim has been withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
August 11, 2011
Fire in Driftwood threatens homes
UPDATE 7 p.m.: Officials said the fire in Rim Rock, a Driftwood subdivision, is now under control. The fire was near FM 1826 and the entrance to the subdivision.
Officials said the fire was between 10 and 20 acres. There have been no reports of damage or injuries.
EARLIER: From the Hays County Sheriffs Office:
A brush fire was reported in the Rim Rock Subdivision of Driftwood to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office today at approx 1800. Driftwood Fire and North Hays FD are on location reporting an uncontrolled brush fire. The size of the fire is unknown at this time but is threatening some residences. No mandatory evacuations at this time. Driftwood has requested mutual aid from Air Life and the Wild Land Task Force. They are en route to the location. No injuries or damage reported at this time. I will keep you up to date as the situation changes.
August 7, 2011
UPDATE: Camp Swift fire likely to be contained tomorrow, officials say
Update; The Camp Swift fire, which has burned 1455 acres, is 95 percent contained, officials said. The fire has burned 1425 acres inside the Texas National Guard facility and 30 acres of private property. There have been no injuries and no structures were damaged. The cause of the fire has not been determined. There was no military exercise going on in the area where the fire started, said Lexi Maxwell, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service.
UPDATE 9:45 P.M.:
Texas Forest Service officials now say the Camp Swift fire will only be 95 percent contained tonight. The fire, still estimated at 1,455 acres, should be completely contained by 7 p.m. tomorrow, officials said.
EARLIER:
Lexi Maxwell, of the Texas Forest Service, said that an estimate from the ground showed that 1,455 acres burned in the fire.
She said this afternoon that 85 percent of the fire has been contained since this morning. Military officials reported that the fire was 90 percent contained by yesterday evening.
Maxwell said they are still hoping for and working toward complete containment of the fire by this evening.
EARLIER:
The fire that began on Friday at Camp Swift in Bastrop County, scorching close to 1,000 acres, may be completely contained by this evening, according to Mike Fisher, the emergency management coordinator for Bastrop County.
Fisher said this morning that the fire is pretty much over and that he believes it will be contained by 6 to 7 p.m. today. By yesterday evening, military officials reported that the fire was 90 percent contained.
“It’s looking really good,” Lexi Maxwell, of the Texas Forest Service, said of the fire. “We’re optimistic that we will have containment by the end of the day.”
As of daylight today, Fisher’s office as well as the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office and all fire departments in the county were deactivated, Fisher said. The Texas Army National Guard and Texas Forest Service are now handling the fire.
Officials are currently monitoring the fire and will do so throughout the day, Fisher said. Maxwell said they are trying to get an accurate estimate of acres burned from the ground so the previously-reported number — 950 acres was yesterday’s estimate from the air, she said — may change.
Camp Swift is a 12,000-acre Texas Army National Guard complex.
Fisher noted that the area is in the worst category of drought — “exceptional drought” — and urged residents to be cautious with anything that could catch fire.
Maxwell echoed the warnings, saying drivers shouldn’t tow chains or flick ashes out the window, and that people shouldn’t cook outside and they should remove all dead vegetation from trees and shrubs. “People need to be careful,” she said.
August 6, 2011
Updated: Bastrop County fire 90 percent contained
Updated at 7:38 p.m.: The Camp Swift fire is now 90 percent contained and has burned almost 1,000 acres, officials said.
Earlier: Fire fighters continue to battle a blaze in Bastrop County that has scorched 850 acres, said Mike Fisher, the emergency management coordinator for the county.
The fire started yesterday at the center of the 12,000-acre Camp Swift, a Texas Army National Guard facility. Last night it spread beyond the camp’s boundary and caused the evacuation of five houses on private property, but Fisher said no structures were damaged and none are endangered now. There have been no injuries reported.
About 10 state and local agencies including the Texas Forest Service and the Texas Division of Emergency Management have responded to the fire, which was reported late afternoon Friday. As of about 9 a.m. Saturday morning, it was only 45 percent contained.
August 3, 2011
Fire damages South Austin home, two sent to hospital
A one-alarm fire caused significant damage to a South Austin residence and two injured residents were taken to an area hospital, an Austin fire official said.
Shortly before 10:30 a.m. today, emergency personnel were called to the scene of a heavy fire at a home at 106 West Mockingbird Lane near South Congress Avenue and West Stassney Lane, the official said.
When crews arrived, they located an elderly woman and a child outside the home, both of whom had suffered non life-threatening injuries, the official said. The elderly woman was having difficulty breathing and details regarding the child’s injuries were not immediately available, the official said. It was not immediately clear if the fire had caused the injuries, the official said.
In all, nine units totaling 28 fire fighters responded to the scene, knocking down the fire in under 20 minutes, the official said.
The cause of the fire and the loss estimate was not immediately available, but the home saw “very significant damage,” the official said.
See photos from the scene.
July 31, 2011
Discarded cigarette blamed in fire that displaced 25
UPDATE:
This morning’s fire in a Northeast Austin apartment building has been ruled accidental. It was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette by a person smoking in bed, Austin fire Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said.
The fire, which caused $350,000 in damages, was easily preventable, Buck said: “Make sure your cigarette is out.”
EARLIER:
Erin Smith, who lives in an apartment across the parking lot, said she was putting clothes in her car to go do laundry when she heard glass breaking.
“I looked up and there were flames coming out of the third floor,” she said. “I felt the flames. That’s how close I was.”
She called 911. She said authorities told her to get people out of the building as well as the building attached.
She ran up three flights of stairs and banged on doors. Everyone got out, she said, and when officials came, they verified that.
The fire displaced 25 people, Austin fire Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said. Fire damage was estimated at $300,000 for the structure and $50,000 for contents, he said. The burned apartment building at 1071 Clayton Lane had 17 occupied apartments, according to Buck.
American Red Cross of Central Texas spokeswoman Sara Kennedy said they’ve spoken with about 20 displaced families. She said some of the families have friends or relatives to stay with, and apartment managers are helping those who don’t temporarily relocate in vacant apartments in other buildings of the complex.
The Red Cross is primarily providing food to residents, she said.
EARLIER:
A morning blaze at a Northeast Austin apartment building displaced about 40 people, according to an Austin fire official.
There were no injuries.
Fire officials said this morning that an estimate of the damages to the Trestles apartments, on Clayton Lane near Interstate 35 and U.S. 290, was not available. But one apartment in Building 16 was destroyed completely and six other apartments in the building suffered smoke and water damage while officials fought the fire, according to Austin fire Lt. Jim Baker.
The call came in about the fire at 8 a.m., Baker said. Before fire units arrived on scene, he said fire dispatchers saw smoke from cameras on I-35 that they monitor, which led them to upgrade the severity of the fire and get more firetrucks to the scene.
The first officials on the scene found the fire on the third floor of the apartment building, Baker said. With the help of Austin police, fire officials evacuated residents from Building 16, where there are 24 apartments.
Firefighters got the fire under control within 15 to 20 minutes, Baker said.
Baker said the building cannot be lived in until an electrician checks the wiring. The local chapter of the American Red Cross is helping displaced residents with temporary housing, he said.
July 29, 2011
Western Travis County fire fully contained, official says
A fire in Western Travis County that consumed 400 acres earlier this week is 100 percent contained, an official said this morning.
The fire, which began Wednesday afternoon, was 85 percent contained last night for the area surrounding the Belvedere subdivison off Hamilton Pool Road, said John Durham, an assistant chief for the Lake Travis Fire Rescue Department.
More than a dozen emergency service agencies responded to the fire, helping prevent it from reaching any of the homes.
Dozens of residents evacuated Wednesday returned to their homes yesterday morning.
Crews remained on scene this morning as part of the clean-up phase of the operation, Durham said.
July 28, 2011
Officials: Residents evacuated from subdivision during fire to be allowed to return at 9 a.m.
Update 8:45 a.m.: Residents evacuated from the Belvedere subdivision during a fire last night will be allowed to return at 9 a.m., an official said.
The fire in the western Travis County subdivision remains 80 percent contained, said John Durham, an assistant chief for the Lake Travis Fire Rescue. After a review, the Texas Forest Service has downgraded the number of acres consumed to 400 acres from the 600 acres reported earlier.
We don’t see any issues with the fire, especially with its current perimeter,” Durham said. “The perimeter is good. Crews didn’t see any red flags to prohibit the residents from coming back home.”
Crews with Lake Travis Fire Rescue, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office — which is providing security — and the Red Cross remained at the neighborhood overnight and this morning.
In all, 29 structures were threatened, but none consumed by fire, Durham said. He does expect that utility equipment such as power lines were damaged.
The Texas Forest Service is expected to conduct a flyover at 1 p.m. to reassess the impact and condition of the fire, he said.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative officials say they have no reports of interrupted electrical service in the area due to the fire.
Earlier: A fire that consumed 600 acres yesterday in Western Travis County remains 80 percent contained this morning, and crews are on scene putting out hot spots and preserving the perimeter, an official said.
Dozens of residents remain evacuated from the Belvedere subdivision, said John Durham, an assistant chief with Lake Travis Fire Rescue.
The weather will be key today, as morning winds could cause the fire to spread again, he said.
“The threat in terms of the fire is pretty much a non-issue at this point,” Durham said. “We hope it doesn’t become an issue later when the weather turns against our favor.”
Durham said residents should avoid the Hamilton Pool area if possible as fire crews move in and out of the area.
There were no new injuries reported overnight and no structures have been consumed in the fire. An estimated 80 to 100 residents have requested assistance through the Red Cross, which provided food and water at the neighborhood’s community center.
Last night, Durham said two firefighters were treated at the scene; one for a back injury and the other for a rolled ankle. One resident suffered a burn but declined to be taken to a hospital.
Previous story: Fire in western Travis burns 600 acres, alarms subdivision residents
July 27, 2011
Update: 3 injured in 600-acre fire in western Travis County
12 a.m. update:
Officials say the fire is now 80 percent contained and that fire crews will remain on the scene overnight to deal with hot spots and flare ups.
No structures have been lost, officials said.
9 p.m. update:
The Texas Forest Service estimated that the fire in the Belvedere and Madrone Ranch subdivisions was 50 percent contained as of 8 p.m.
It has burned 600 acres, authorities said Wednesday night.
The fire initially threatened three structures, but by mid-evening only one remained in danger, said John Durham, an assistant chief with the Lake Travis Fire Rescue. No other subdivisions were in danger.
Durham said two firefighters were treated at the scene; one for a back injury and the other for a rolled ankle. One resident suffered a burn but declined to be taken to a hospital.
About 20 Belvedere residents were evacuated to the neighborhood’s community center, where the Red Cross provided food and water.
6 p.m. update:
A fire has in western Travis County is threatening two subdivisions, but officials are reporting progress in fighting the fire, which has not been contained.
One structure remains threatened, but none have been lost or damaged, officials said. Fifteen agencies are working the four-alarm fire in the Belvedere and Madrone Ranch subdivisions. The American Red Cross is assisting the evacuees.
4:30 p.m. update:
Emergency officials say the 911 system is being flooded with callers reporting smoke and the odor of smoke from the Belvedere subdivision fire. They ask that people only call 911 if they see a fire outside or have smoke inside a structure.
Earlier:
A three-alarm fire in western Travis County has injured two people and has damaged a home, officials say. The fire, which was first reported about 2 p.m., is burning seven to 10 acres near Magnolia Ridge Cove off Hamilton Pool Road west of Bee Cave.
One firefighter has suffered a back injury, EMS officials said, and a civilian with minor burns has refused treatment.
Two helicopters and nine agencies are working to contain the blaze, which officials say was caused by welding.
Nearby residents have been evacuated to the Belvedere Community Center on Rollins Drive, officials say.
July 17, 2011
Fire in Southeast Austin displaces family of seven
An accidental fire that broke out this afternoon has displaced a family of seven, including three small children, according to the Austin Fire Department.
Officials said the family was not home at the time but neighbors noticed the fire and called 911. The home, located at 6206 Orleans Drive, has about $70,000 worth of damage, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
The cause of the fire was accidental and was related to the water heater, Smith said. He said the residents are being assisted by the Red Cross.
July 5, 2011
Three firefighters injured in Lake Travis fire
Three Lake Travis firefighters were injured in an overnight fire at a restaurant on Hudson Bend Road, an Austin Fire Department official said.
The fire started in the attic area of the Los Pinos Mexican Restaurant at 4919 Hudson Bend Road shortly before 3 a.m., the official said.
The Lake Travis Fire Rescue department, assisted by the Austin Fire Department, responded to the fire, the official said.
Two firefighters were injured in a partial collapse of the restaurant’s ceiling and were taken to a Round Rock-area hospital, the official said. A third firefighter suffered a hand injury and was treated at the scene, the official said.
The fire was contained to the restaurant’s attic, the official said.
The cause to the fire was not immediately known, but the Travis County Fire Marshal remains at the scene investigating that cause, the official said.
June 24, 2011
Man critically injured in apartment fire
Update: The cause of a Northeast Austin apartment fire that left a man critically injured was found to be cooking-related, said Austin fire Capt. Andy Reardon.
Reardon said investigators discovered the fire began on a kitchen stove and found a burned pot, but it remained unclear how exactly the fire started.
The victim remains in critical condition at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, he said.
The fire caused a total of $15,000 in damages, he said.
Earlier: A man was critically injured in an apartment fire Thursday night, Austin Fire officials said. He is being taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge and will likely be transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, according to the fire department.
Firefighters arrived at a single unit on fire in an apartment building on 1800 Patton Lane in northeast Austin at 9:47 p.m. The man was found unconscious in the unit and was the only person in the unit, officials said.
June 16, 2011
Fire evacuees allowed back into homes in Leander
Update 6:15 p.m.:
Leander Fire Chief Bill Gardner said that as of 6:15 p.m., 70 percent of the fire has been contained. He also said that evacuees were allowed back into their homes beginning as of 5:15 p.m.
Lexi Maxwell of the Texas Forest Service said that the helicopters that had been dropping water on the blaze have been released from duty.
Update 4:40 p.m.: Firefighters have halted the advance of a Leander brush fire, but it is not yet contained, according to Lexi Maxwell, public information officer for the Texas Forest Service.
The Leander fire covers 60 acres but it is no longer spreading to the north-northeast toward 800 homes, some in the Highland subdivision. She said she did not know how close the fire was to the subdivision. No homes have been damaged, and there have been no reports of injuries.
About 100 homes were evacuated, not 200 as officials had previously reported, Maxwell said. Those homes are located on Outlook Ridge Loop and Osage Drive.
Some 25 agencies are battling the fire. Two StarFlight helicopters and one Texas Forest helicopter have been dropping water onto the fire. One of the StarFlight helicopters has since been called off.
A bulldozer is also working to make a firebreak to help contain the fire.
Wind gusts in the afternoon helped spread the fire, in a hilly, wooded area. By late afternoon, conditions were still windy, but not as intense as before. By 6 p.m. wind gusts were 33 miles per hour, expected to diminish to 25 miles per hour overnight, which should aid firefighters, Maxwell said.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but some of the fuel for the fire has been brush cleared from the subdivision to make way for homes, Maxwell said.
Officials first responded at 12:35 p.m. to reports of a brush fire.
Officials don’t expect any further evacuations. Maxwell said authorities aren’t sure when evacuated residents will be allowed back to their homes.
—
Earlier: About 200 Leander homes are threatened by a large brush fire in the Highland subdivision in Williamson County, a spokeswoman said. Homes near the fire are being evacuated, but officials did not know how many.
The fire, which officials say is about 10 acres and started about noon, is near Osage Drive and headed north. No injuries have been reported, county spokeswoman Connie Watson said.
A temporary shelter is being set up at Leander High School, 3301 S. Bagdad Road, she said. Multiple agencies are responding, including a STARFlight helicopter that is dumping water on the flames.
Photo: Mike Parker/Cedar Park Citizen
June 7, 2011
Wildfire near Hamilton Pool Road about 95 percent contained, official says
Update 1:50 p.m.: A Western Travis County fire that broke out yesterday and has consumed about 200 acres is now 95 percent contained, authorities said this afternoon.
Now, crews are working their way in from the perimeter of the fire and “into the black,” or the center of the fire, putting out remaining hot spots, said John Durham, assistant chief for the Lake Travis Fire Department.
Also, additional brush trucks have been brought in this afternoon in case the threat of the fire rises again, Durham said. Triple-digit temperatures, low humidity and winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour this afternoon could threaten progress made so far, he said.
The fire has consumed 200 acres of private property adjacent to the Milton Reimers Ranch Park, which remains closed for safety reasons and to provide emergency responders accessibility to the site, Durham said. There have been no reports of injuries or any damage to any structures, he said.
Earlier: A wildfire that consumed 200 acres in Western Travis County on Monday has emergency crews on close watch today as afternoon temperatures and winds could threaten progress made controlling the fire, authorities said Tuesday.
The wildfire started yesterday afternoon near Milton Reimers Ranch Park. It went to four alarms by 3 p.m., drawing 42 emergency crews from Travis, Hays and nearby counties.
By 5:30 p.m., the fire had spread to 60 acres but was 40 percent contained, said John Durham, assistant chief for the Lake Travis Fire Department. A StarFlight helicopter was used to drop water on the flames, he said.
By midnight, the fire consumed 200 acres and was 50 percent contained, Durham said.
Crews remained on scene overnight and this morning, although no additional resources were needed, Durham said.
“We will stay there until we are certain there is no more danger,” he said.
Milton Reimers Ranch Park remains closed, Durham said. But nearby roads, including Hamilton Pool Road, which was closed briefly yesterday, remain open, he said.
No homes or structures were caught in yesterday’s blaze, Durham said. One home was evacuated, but those homeowners were allowed to return last night, he said. No injuries have been reported.
Temperatures are forecast to reach 100 degrees today, according to the KVUE news weather report. Combined with projections of lower humidity and wind gusts of up to 10 or 20 miles per hour, this could raise concerns of a spread of the fire again, Durham said.
“With humidity down, combined with increased wind speed, we may need to plan on a little more vigilance,” Durham said.
About 25 acres in the same area caught fire Sunday. Officials said the preliminary cause of that fire appeared to be a failed insulator on an electricity pole.
June 5, 2011
Brush fire contained near Hamilton Pool
Officials said a brush fire near Hamilton Pool in eastern Travis County have been contained, according to media reports.
Fire units from Travis County and the Austin Fire Department were at the scene of the 25-acre fire near Texas 71, officials said.
The fire was contained in a valley and no homes or structures were damaged, KVUE-TV reported.
May 29, 2011
Fire damages Spyglass condo
A South Austin condo suffered $65,000 in damage Sunday morning after a cigarette caused a fire on the balcony, officials said.
The 2nd-alarm fire at 1741 Spyglass Dr. was called in at 6:38 a.m., said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith with the Austin Fire Department. The homeowners said smoking materials had been extinguished the night before, but it was on the balcony, where it could have missed or blown off the ashtray, Smith said. The fire was mainly contained to the balcony, which was on stilts, and the flooring of the condo.
The outside of the home suffered $60,000 in damage; the contents inside the home, $5,000.
No one was injured.
May 1, 2011
Fire in landfill contained
A pile of wood chips caught fire at the BFI Sunset Farms landfill in Northeast Austin this afternoon, causing a fairly large fire that took several hours to control, according to fire officials.
The blaze started around noon and fire officials said a bulldozer was used to snuff out embers. The fire was contained, but not extinguished, about 4 p.m.
Officials did not yet have a cause. No one was injured.
April 25, 2011
Officials rule apartment fire accidental
UPDATE The Woods fire has been ruled accidental due to improperly discarded smoking materials and the damage has been estimated at $641,000.
UPDATE: Austin firefighters have doused a two-alarm apartment fire at The Woods, 2901 Barton Skyway.
Units arrived first about 5:45 p.m. to find six units engulfed in flames. Another four are uninhabitable because of water and smoke damage officials said. In all, officials said, 21 residents are displaced.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services officials said there were no reported injuries.
Officials have not determined a cause nor estimated damages.
And previous reports of a feline death were incorrect. The cat was given oxygen and was revived. The units affected have also been changed to show that six were on fire when officials arrived.
EARLIER: Austin firefighters are on the scene of a 2-alarm apartment fire at The Woods apartment complex at 2901 Barton Skyway.
One building appears to be completely engulfed in flames and its roof has partially collapsed. Other buildings appear to be damaged.
At least a dozen fire trucks are at the scene of the blaze, near MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1).
A Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services official said there were no reported injuries, except for a cat that had been killed in the blaze.
More to come on this developing story.
April 22, 2011
2 injured in Wimberley house fires
UPDATE 6:30 PM: A man who was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio with serious burns to his hands and feet after his home caught fire this morning has been discharged, a hospital official said. The official said he did not know when the victim, Gary Pigg, was released. Pigg was taken to the hospital after his home in Wimberley caught fire this morning. Pigg’s wife, Gail, was also injured in the fire. Hays County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said no further information about the fire, including its cause, was available this evening.
UPDATE: A man who was injured in a home fire in Wimberley has been transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center to treat serious burns, a Hays County Sheriff’s official said.
The man’s wife, who was also injured in the early morning fire, was taken to another nearby hospital and released, the official said.
There were no immediate details on damage estimates or the cause of the fire, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
The Hays County Fire Marshal’s office will be investigating the fire, and a cause is expected to be released Monday, he said.
One home was destroyed, and another heavily home was heavily damaged and may be deemed destroyed, he said. A third home saw some damage to its roof, he said.
UPDATE: Hays County Sheriff’s officials say two homeowners were injured in the fire. The two individuals suffered burns to their hands and feet and were taken to a nearby hospital, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
Gutierrez said it’s likely the fire destroyed one of the two homes and officials are still dealing with hot spots at the other home.
UPDATE: A fire that broke out at a Wimberley home early this morning and spread to another home appears to be contained, a Hays County sheriff’s official said.
Emergency responders from several area firefighting crews had attacked the blaze at two Wimberley homes at the 2100 block of Flite Acres Road, said Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
“It was a structure fire that caught onto another one,” Gutierrez said earlier this morning. “There are mutual fire departments (on scene), and they are working in defensive mode. They are trying to keep it contained.”
There were no injuries or reports of anyone missing, he said. There were also no reports of anyone being evacuated from the area or any threats to other structures in the area, he said.
The local emergency services district put out a “mutual aid” assistance request, which has pulled in fire departments from nearby communities, Gutierrez said.
This move also triggered the assistance of tanker trucks filled with water, Gutierrez said.
The region, along with most of the state, has been at high risk for fires thanks to ongoing dry conditions and heavy winds.
EARLIER: Emergency crews are on the scene of a heavy fire in the Wimberley area, a Hays County Sheriff’s official said.
The fire may be threatening other structures, the official said.
Emergency crews remain on the scene of the fire early this morning, the official.
The region has been at high risk for fires thanks to ongoing dry conditions, forecasters for the National Weather Service have said.
April 20, 2011
Hot spots put out in Oak Hill fire
Austin Fire Department officials announced today that they had extinguished all the hot spots from a large wildfire that started Sunday afternoon in Southwest Austin.
The fire destroyed or damaged 21 homes and involved more than 100 acres, though no one was injured. A statewide insurance group has estimated the damage at $5 million.
Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr said firefighters have ended their mission at the scene in Oak Hill after 72 hours. Kerr also encouraged all homeowners take the time to protect their homes against fire risks, including cleaning out gutters and properly disposing of cigarettes.
Authorities have charged a homeless man with arson after they said he started the blaze after cooking on a campfire.
April 18, 2011
Oak Hill fire mostly contained, fire crews working on hot spots
Updated 4 p.m. The fire in Oak Hill is 90 percent contained, according to fire officials, and crews are still working to put out hot spots.
Austin firefighter Edward Lee said that although there are no more actual fires in the Oak Hill area, there are still homes that are extremely hot. Crews are working to either demolish destroyed homes or to douse all hot embers.
“We just want to make sure we are eliminating every threat of another fire,” Lee said. “The conditions are ripe for rekindling or flare-ups.”
Lee said it is likely that several fire crews will stay in the area until Tuesday morning.
Update 1:30 p.m.: Fire officials have allowed residents who were evacuated to return to their homes, but some houses have been so damaged that homeowners might not be able to access their property, officials said.
Crews remain on the scene of the brush fire clearing any hot spots that might flare up, officials say.
Residents returning home have been sharing stories and consoling each other throughout the day. Some reported seeing flames 30 to 40 feet above their homes.
Update 9:30 a.m.: A homeless man left hot coals unattended at a campfire Sunday afternoon, sparking a wildfire that ravaged a section of Oak Hill and destroyed several homes, officials said today.
Michael Bernard Weathers, 60, has been charged with arson, a state jail felony, records show. He is in the Travis County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Weathers told investigators yesterday that he started a fire about 7 a.m. but then left it unattended about noon to walk to a nearby convenience store, according to an arrest affidavit.
The fire burned about 100 acres near the ACC’s Pinnacle Campus and severely damaged 11 homes, officials said. Ten other homes suffered minor damage, officials said.
Click here for a map of homes that were damaged
The only injury reported was an Austin firefighter who broke his thumb.
Officials hope to allow evacuated residents to return home by this afternoon. For updated information, call 974-6199.
The fire is about 50 percent contained this morning, a fire official said, and nine fire companies remain on the scene.
A fire retardant that was dropped on the flames is biodegradable and can be removed by showering and washing clothes as normal, officials said. Pets should be bathed as well.
Earlier: Austin fire officials early this morning said most residents evacuated from their homes after a wildfire ravaged a section of Oak Hill on Sunday will get to return today.
Austin fire officials said they will put out word later this morning when those residents can return. Homeowners whose homes were destroyed will be able to salvage some belongings, Austin fire spokesman Randy Elmore said.
About 20 homes were damaged, including 10 that were significantly damaged or destroyed, Elmore said.
Austin fire officials also released new details regarding a suspect charged in connection to the fire. A man who was at a homeless camp close to the U.S. 290 and Convict Hill area went to authorities and confessed about 4 p.m. yesterday, Elmore said.
The man said he was cooking eggs at the camp shortly before the wildfire began, Elmore said.
His name is expected to be released later today, he said.
Previous story: Brush fire sweeps Oak Hill; one charged
April 17, 2011
Suspect charged in Oak Hill fire; firefighters to remain overnight
UPDATE: 10:02 p.m.
Austin fire officials said a suspect is in custody in connection with the fire that raced through residential streets in Oak Hill earlier today. Officials did not release the suspect’s name or what charges have been filed, but said the suspect is at the Travis County Jail charged with a state jail felony.
Fire officials said eight homes were destroyed 10 were damaged and 150 remained threatened. The fire remains 90 percent contained, and firefighters will remain overnight to fight any remaining flames and watch for flare-ups, officials said.
UPDATE: 9:45 p.m.
City officials posted addresses of those residents in Oak Hill who will not be allowed back into their homes tonight. That information can be found here or on a map here. Also from the city is a map of the affected areas and the area of the fire.
UPDATE: 6:00 P.M.:
CORRECTION: The percent of the fire that has been contained has been changed from an earlier version.
The Oak Hill fire is 90 percent contained, Austin fire officials said, and the “Y” intersection has re-opened.
Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr said the fire destroyed six to 10 homes and damaged at least another 20. No injuries have been reported.
Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said arson investigators are on the scene of the fire.
Mayor Lee Leffingwell said, “I have not seen a fire like this in Austin, but it’s something we fear not only here but all over the state.”
Authorities evacuated the following streets: Callbram Lane, South Brook Drive, Scenic Brook Drive and Silvermine Drive. Fifty people were evacuated to Southwest Hills Community Church.
City officials said because the fire has not been fully contained, it’s not yet safe for residents to return to their homes. Residents who have been evacuated can call 974-6199 to find out when they can return to their homes. Updates will also be posted on www.austinHSEM.com
UPDATE: 4:41 P.M.:
A wildfire that has claimed five Southwest Austin homes is now 70 percent contained, authorities said this afternoon.
The fire in the Scenic Brook neighborhood of Oak Hill has caused damage to 20 homes in all, the officials said.
Two helicopters have been deployed to fight the blaze, in addition to 100 firefighters and 30 firetrucks from five agencies, including the Texas Forest Service.The Forest Service has also deployed two C-130 jumbo airplanes to drop fire retardant on the area — the type of tactics used on West Texas wildfires for the past week.
Coincidentally, some of the firefighters working the Oak Hill blaze recently returned from battling those West Texas blazes.
“This is the first time in a very long time that I’ve seen a fire like this in Central Texas,” said Austin fire battalion chief Palmer Buck. “This is the type of fire that’s been in West Texas; however, this is more severe because it’s a heavily populated area and not ranchland.”
Authorities had to evacuate about 200 people from their homes in the hilly and heavily wooded subdivision on Austin’s southwestern edge.
The nearby “Y” intersection, where U.S. 290 and Texas 71 split, has been closed since about 4 p.m. and traffic is being rerouted.
No injuries have been reported.
UPDATE: 4:10 P.M.:
The wildfire near Oak Hill in Southwest Austin has destroyed five homes, officials on the scene said. That number could climb to 10, officials feared.
Two hundred people have been evacuated, and authorities said they have no reports of injuries.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, officials said, but they are investigating the possibility that the blaze originated in a nearby homeless camp.
UPDATE: 4:00 P.M.:
The “Y” intersection in Oak Hill — where U.S. 290 West splits off from Texas 71 West — has been closed because of the wildfire that continues to threaten homes just west of Oak Hill.
UPDATE: 3:40 P.M.:
Residents on Scenic Brook Drive near Meadow Oaks drive were evacuating after orders from the Fire Department, grabbing children, pets and belonging and leaving the area as quickly as possible.
The Austin Police Department has also completely shut down the “Y” in Oak Hill due to the fire.
UPDATE: 3:14 P.M.:
The Scenic Brook neighborhood is being evacuated by the Austin Fire Department, according to an on-scene report.
Police officers with bullhorns are advising residents to leave the area.
EARLIER:
The Austin Fire Department this afternoon is fighting a brush fire in the Oak Hill area.
Latest reports say that the fire is threatening several homes in the area, and that two homes have already suffered some fire damage.
Residents and others are being advised to stay away from the area, and thick, black smoke from the fire is visible from miles away.
Police are currently directing people away from U.S. 290, and are directing people toward Highway 71 at the Y in Oak Hill.
April 15, 2011
One dead in early morning house fire near Round Rock, official says
One person is dead following a heavy fire at a two-story home close to the Round Rock area, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office official said Friday.
A passerby reported seeing heavy fire at the home at the 16500 block of Avaranche Way in the Brushy Creek area around 4 a.m., said spokesman John Foster.
Emergency crews arrived to find a fully-involved fire at the home, he said.
One homeowner, a man in his 50s, was not injured and accounted for, but another homeowner was not, Foster said.
A person believed to be the other homeowner, possibly a woman, was located deceased inside, he said.
“Upon further investigation, we found the body of someone we believe to be the other homeowner,” Foster said.
The deceased person was taken to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s office for identification, he said. The name of the individual was not released, pending the identification, Foster said.
The sheriff’s office arson team and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is still investigating the cause of the fire, Foster said.
The home was completely destroyed, he said.
“It’s a total loss. It’s a two-story home and all the floors collapsed,” Foster said. “It is going to be very difficult for investigators to come to a determination of the cause of the fire because of the destruction.”
April 13, 2011
Apartment fire displaces 14 in Pflugerville
Update: The damage estimates for the building are listed at $456,000.
Update: Fire officials said a blaze this afternoon destroyed a building and displaced 14 people in Northern Travis County.
Lt. Tim Wallace with the Pflugerville Fire Department said no injuries were reported. The apartments did not have a sprinkler system, but all 12 units had working fire alarms, Wallace said.
A cause and damage estimate have not yet been determined.
Earlier: The Pflugerville Fire Department is on the scene of a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex in Northern Travis County, fire and law enforcement officials said.
The fire broke out around 12:30 p.m. today at 1831 West Wells Branch Parkway, just west of Interstate 35, said Roger Wade, spokesman for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, which is providing traffic control at the scene.
The nearby lanes of Wells Branch Parkway were blocked off as crews were on the scene fighting the fire, he said.
A nearby school, Northwest Elementary School, did not appear to be impacted by the fire, Wade said.
April 5, 2011
Apartment fire ruled accidental
6 p.m. update:
Officials said the cause of the Travis Station Apartments fire was accidental due to a “failure of fixed wiring supplying a first floor balcony light.”
Earlier:
Fire officials this morning released their crew from the scene of an East Austin apartment fire Monday and will continue their investigation into its cause as they interview residents today, an official said.
Two people, a Travis County sheriff’s office deputy and a maintenance worker, suffered smoke inhalation at the three-alarm fire at the Travis Station Apartments, the officials said.
Officials said 16 units were affected by the blaze at 6600 Ed Bluestein Blvd. that caused about $350,000 in damage and displaced 30 people. About 75 Austin fire personnel were called to the scene, said Capt. Peter Teliha.
Teliha said fire officials remained at the apartments until 8 a.m. today to ensure there were no flare-ups and to investigate the scene.
Apartment residents, management and witnesses will be interviewed today to determine the cause, Teliha said.
The apartment had fire alarms, but did not have sprinklers, Teliha said. Department officials said today that the complex was built in 1986, before sprinkler systems were required in apartment complexes.
Heavy winds made containing the fire more difficult. “It tends to create movement and that can create challenges for us,” he said.
The region also was under a “red flag” advisory, which signals especially dry conditions that can raise the risk for fires, he said.
April 4, 2011
Two injured at three-alarm apartment fire
UPDATE: Fire officials said damage was estimated at $350,000 and the cause is still being investigated.
Two people were injured this afternoon during a fire at an East Austin apartment complex, officials said.
Fire Department officials said 30 people were displaced by the blaze at the Travis Station Apartments at 6600 Ed Bluestein Boulevard near Loyola Lane. By 3 p.m. the fire had been contained, officials said.
The fire, which started just before 1:30 p.m., affected 16 units, officials said.
Officials said an apartment building has been evacuated. They did not immediately know how severely the two patients were injured, but said their injuries happened as they were helping in the evacuation.
March 24, 2011
Firefighters battle house fire in Southeast Austin
4:30 p.m. update:
Fire officials said the house fire caused $95,000 in damage and was caused by an unattended outside trash fire. Firefighters were able to save the majority of the residential portion.
Earlier:
A fire that damaged a Southeast Austin home displaced two adults and three children this morning, a fire official said.
No injuries were reported.
The fire began shortly before noon at the 2000 block of Maxwell Lane near the Montopolis area, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
The home “was 60 to 70 percent destroyed, along with the shed … and a vehicle in the garage,” Smith said.
There was no damage estimates immediately available Thursday afternoon, Smith said.
Smith said the fire, which was deemed accidental, started as a trash fire and spread to the home and shed. It is illegal to burn trash in Austin’s city limits, Smiths said.
“We would remind folks it is always illegal to burn trash within the city limits of Austin and this is why,” he said.
The displaced adults and children are being assisted by the American Red Cross, Smith said.
Fire crews are expected to remain at the scene for several hours, Smith said.
March 16, 2011
Overnight fire at downtown art gallery quickly extinguished
Austin fire crews quickly extinguished a fire at a downtown art gallery that started shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to fire department spokesman Capt. Peter Teliha.
Artwork was saved from the Brocca Gallery, which is on East Sixth Street near Waller Street, Teliha said.
The fire started near the back of the gallery, and officials are still investigating its cause, Teliha said. There was some damage to the interior wall, he said, but damage estimates were not immediately available Wednesday morning.
There were no injuries, and South by Southwest events were not affected by the fire, he said. There was “great cooperation from citizens of Austin and guests of SXSW to allow AFD units to get to the incident and work,” he said.
March 4, 2011
Fire that forced apartment evacuation out
Update, 1:30 p.m.:
Fire officials said the blaze at the Canyon Oaks apartments was accidentally started by improperly discarded smoking materials. One apartment unit was heavily damaged by the fire and two other other units were damaged by smoke and water, officials said. Fifteen people have been displaced.
Damage was estimated at $40,000.
Update, 11:30 a.m.:
A two-alarm fire at a Southeast Austin apartment complex was quickly extinguished this morning, an Austin Fire Department official said.
There were no reports of injuries, said Battalion Chief Palmer Buck.
Crews were on scene to assess how many apartments were affected by the fire and where it started, Buck said.
Earlier:
A two-alarm fire has forced the evacuation of the Canyon Oaks apartments in Southeast Austin, a police official said.
The fire broke out shortly after 11 a.m. at 1515 Royal Crest Drive near Riverside Drive and Interstate 35, the official said.
February 28, 2011
Fire along MoPac snarls traffic, destroys three cars
A brush fire near MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) and 45th Street escalated quickly this afternoon, destroying three cars and prompting the evacuation of several apartment residents, fire officials said.
Fire Capt. Peter Teliha said the fire began about 2 p.m. Monday and when firefighters arrived, they found several fires on the east side of MoPac. The fire had spread from the grass and vegetation next to the roadway to a construction site and near two apartment complexes.
Three cars in the parking lot of Georgetown Square apartments were destroyed. Residents from there and from the West Austin Luxury Apartments were evacuated as officials worked to extinguish the fire, Teliha said. No one was injured.
Traffic along the road was down to one lane northbound, but all lanes were reopened by 4:30 p.m., officials said.
Teliha said the damage was estimated at $44,000 and the cause was accidental.
February 16, 2011
Fire officials charge man in Huston-Tillotson dorm blaze
UPDATE: Information about damage to the dorm has been corrected.
Fire officials have charged 26-year-old Aaron Eugene Mckinley with first degree arson in connection with a blaze in a dorm at Huston-Tillotson University Christmas Eve.
Capt. Andy Reardon with the Austin fire department said Mckinley has not been arrested; his bail has been set at $20,000.
Officials said the fire was set in the Beard-Burrows Hall about 6 a.m. Dec. 24. The fire was confined to where it started in the dorm director’s office. The school was on winter break at the time and the dorm was empty.
The fire caused an estimated $32,000 in damage and was probably started with a lighter or match, Reardon said. Several other rooms were vandalized with graffiti, he said.
Officials discovered through Mckinley’s Facebook account that he was inside the building, possibly looking for money, Reardon said. He said Mckinley lived in the Beard-Burrows Hall when he was a student in 2009.
“Arson is usually a second degree felony, but because this was in a habitation it’s automatically an first degree felony,” Reardon said.
Mckinley faces up to life in prison if he is convicted.
February 11, 2011
Two injured in overnight fire at Hong Kong supermarket
Two were injured, including a firefighter, in an overnight two-alarm fire that left a North Austin grocery store heavily damaged, according to an Austin fire official.
The fire broke out at about 2 a.m. in the back of the Hong Kong supermarket at 8557 Research Boulevard, near Ohlen Road, said Austin fire Capt. Peter Teliha. A firefighter and a civilian suffered smoke inhalation due to the fire, which was extinguished at about 3:15 a.m., Teliha said. The fire took an extensive amount of time to extinguish because of the significant nature of the fire at a commercial site, Teliha said.
Firefighters initially tried to fight the fire from inside the store, Teliha said. However, crews discovered the fire was too heavy, and units were pulled back out to fight the fire in a defensive mode, that is, from outside the store, Teliha said. A hole was cut in the roof of the store to help ventilate the extensive smoke, he said.
During the overall response, about 45 firefighters responded, Telhia said. A firefighter who was part of the first crew that responded took on considerable smoke and was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge, Telhia said. That firefighter was released soon after, by 3:30 a.m., Telhia said.
Also, during an initial search of the area, crews discovered an individual who was wheelchair bound at a nearby business had suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a St. David’s area hospital.
There was no cause or damage estimates immediately available, but Telhia said investigators remained on scene this morning. Telhia said the supermarket would be closed today, since it saw “significant’ damage.
“It is going to be a long investigation,” Telhia said.
February 7, 2011
Arson charges filed in S. Austin business fires
Austin police on Monday charged Martin Gutierrez, 43, with several counts of arson, after officials said they linked him to nine fires, including at two businesses in South Austin.
Austin Fire Department Capt. Andy Reardon said Gutierrez, at right, was linked to nine fires between Dec. 2 and Jan. 26, and that he caused more than $187,000 in damage to local businesses. Among his targets were the Green Muse Cafe, a coffee shop on Oltorf Street, and Habana, a South Congress Avenue restaurant, officials said.
Gutierrez, who officials said is homeless, was arrested Jan. 31 on a vandalism charge. According to an arrest affidavit, he caused more than $4,000 in damage to an AT&T-owned telephone pole when he was found cutting the pole’s cables.
Gutierrez admitted causing one of the fires, but gave information to police that lead them to believe he was guilty of other counts of arson, Reardon said.
If found guilty, Gutierrez could face 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
February 6, 2011
Fire contained on Barton Creek Greenbelt
A portion of the Barton Creek Greenbelt caught fire about 1 p.m. Sunday, and windy conditions prompted officials to upgrade the fire and call for a helicopter to help extinguish it.
While the fire consumed less than an acre, Battalion Chief Thayer Smith said the blaze was on the Hill of Life trail, near Dusik Lane, and was not easily accessible to fire trucks. He said the fire was contained quickly with the help of a STARflight helicopter, which dropped 500 gallons of water scooped out of Barton Creek with a bucket.
Smith said 12 firetrucks responded.
“We upgraded the fire to a second-alarm fire because of the weather conditions,” Smith said. “It’s both windy and humid out, and a fire could escalate very quickly.”
He said investigators are still determining the cause of the fire.
February 5, 2011
Fire officials: Fifteen acre fire in Southeastern Travis County extinguished
UPDATED 4:18 p.m. Saenz said that 22 units from several counties fought the 15-acre fire which destroyed a flatbed trailer (and not a home, as was reported earlier) and extinguished it around 4 p.m.
Austin Fire Department officials and Travis County Fire Rescue officials are on the scene of a two-alarm five-acre fire in Southeastern Travis County that is threatening 11 structures in the area and has already destroyed one home, Capt. Marc Saenz with the Austin Fire Department said Saturday afternoon.
The fire started around 2 p.m. near 10116 RM 1625, he said. STAR Flight has been flown in to assist with fighting the blaze, Saenz said. No injuries have been reported and Saenz said it was unclear how the fire started. Officials with the Manor, Westlake and Manchaca fire departments were also assisting with containing the fire.
Check back with Statesman.com for updates.
January 28, 2011
Wednesday fire at Habana restaurant ruled arson
Update: A fire earlier this week at South Congress restaurant Habana has been ruled as arson, an Austin fire spokeswoman said.
The Wednesday fire, which broke out around 6:30 a.m., damaged a shed behind the restaurant and caused smoke damage to the interior of the restaurant, fire officials had said. The damage totaled $40,000, officials said.
No one has been charged in the Habana arson case, and the investigation remains open, said Austin fire spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane. An electrical fire destroyed the restaurant in 2004, forcing it to relocate for nearly two years.
The Wednesday Habana fire also comes nearly three weeks following a fire at another area eatery, the Green Muse Cafe at 519 W. Oltorf St. The cause in that Jan. 6 fire remains undetermined, DeCrane said.
Earlier: Austin firefighters quickly extinguished a fire this morning behind South Congress restaurant Habana, an official said.
The fire, which started shortly before 6 a.m., was limited to a shed behind the restaurant at the 2700 block of South Congress Avenue, said Austin fire Lt. Jim Baker.
At the scene, several units responded to the fire and some nearby lanes were blocked. A fire official at the scene said the fire caused some smoke damage to the interior of the restaurant. Investigators remained at the scene to investigate, an official said.
There were no injuries, Baker said.
This is the restaurant’s second fire at that location. An electrical fire destroyed the business in 2004, forcing it to relocate downtown for nearly two years. It reopened on South Congress Avenue in 2006.
Photo by Alberto Martinez, AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
January 26, 2011
Fire at East Austin home accidental, officials say
UPDATE: Fire officials said this evening that the fire at 1906 East 21st Street caused $125,000 in damage to the home and was started accidentally. Two adults were displaced and are being helped by the Red Cross.
EARLIER: A heavy fire that broke out at a small East Austin home this afternoon is under control, an official said.
The fire, at 1906 East 21st Street, was a fully involved fire but has been contained to just the home, said Austin Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
The fire occurred around 1 p.m., and drew more than two dozen fire fighters to the scene, Smith said. There were no injuries reported, Smith said.
The home is a small single family residence near Interstate 35 and Manor Road.
There were no immediate estimates on damage, but appears to be extensive, Smith said.
“The house is pretty much going to be a total loss,” Smith said.
No one was home at the time of the fire, but the residents were on the scene now, Smith said.
January 24, 2011
Austin police investigating fatal New Year's Day fire
Austin police are asking witnesses for help in a New Year’s Day fire that killed a Round Rock High School student, according to a statement issued Monday.
The teen, 18-year-old Kennedy Ikeena Obilom, died from his injuries Jan. 19 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, police officials said.
Last week, school officials said Obilom and three other Round Rock high school students were injured about 6 a.m. Jan. 1 while trying to help a stranded motorist near East 10th Street and Interstate 35 in Austin.
A preliminary investigation shows the GMC truck the teens were in stopped at a gas station to put gasoline in a container, police said. A passenger inside that vehicle then tried to light a cigarette, igniting the fire, police said.
Another teen was also taken to Brooke Army and has survived, police said.
Austin police ask anyone with information regarding this incident to call detectives at (512) 974-8212.
January 20, 2011
Teen burned in New Year's Day fire dies
Round Rock High School students and staff today are mourning the death of a teen who was burned in a fire in Austin on New Year’s Day, school district officials said in a letter to parents yesterday.
Kennedy Obilom, a Round Rock High senior, died Wednesday evening after suffering serious burns in the fire, principal Phil Warrick said in the letter.
Today, crisis counselors will be at the school to offer assistance to students who need it, Warrick said.
“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends,” he said.
Obilom and three other Round Rock high school students were injured Jan. 1 when a bucket of gasoline in their pickup caught fire after one of them lit a cigarette, fire officials said. The teens were trying to help a stranded motorist near East 10th Street and Interstate 35, officials said.
All four were burned, officials said. Two suffered third-degree burns and were taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, officials said. The other two suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said.
Funeral arrangements for Obilom will take place at All Faith’s Funeral Home on Interstate 35, Warrick said.
Sign the guest book for Kennedy Obilom here.
January 8, 2011
Austin Fire Department investigating two overnight blazes
Austin Fire Department officials are investigating the cause of two overnight fires that caused over $60,000 in damage to an office building and a pottery workshop, a fire department spokesman said.
At 5904 Burleson Road in Southeast Austin, an 1800 square-foot house that has been converted to office space caught fire shortly before 12:30 a.m. and caused $35,000 in damage, Austin fire Lt. Josh Portie said.
No one was injured in that fire, or at another fire that started around 1 a.m. in North Austin at 1204 Alegria Road, a pottery workshop where there was $30,000 in damage, Portie said.
January 7, 2011
Man charged in LBJ High trash can fires
UPDATE: Austin fire officials say they have charged a man in connection with several recent fires near LBJ High School.
Robert Anderson, 26, right, was charged with criminal mischief, a third-degree felony, said Austin fire Capt. Andy Reardon. The trash can and grass fires targeted the high school and the nearby neighborhood surrounding Loyola Lane and began Dec. 25th, he said.
The 12 fires caused $35,000 in damage, Reardon said.One fire caused $25,000 in damage to the school’s baseball field home dugout, he said. Several fires targeted City of Austin trash cans as well, he said.
The motive behind the fires was unclear, Reardon said.
EARLIER: A suspect is in custody in connection with nearly a dozen trash can or grass fires in recent days in Northeast Austin, fire officials said Thursday.
The fires first occurred Dec. 25 at LBJ High School and the nearby neighborhood at Loyola Lane, officials said. There have been 11 such fires reported, officials said.
The suspect is in custody and is being interviewed, said Austin fire Capt. Andy Reardon. The suspect has not yet been charged, Reardon said.
Officials expect to release more information about the case this afternoon, the official said.
January 6, 2011
Fire damages Green Muse Cafe
Update: Fire investigators remained on a South Austin strip mall Thursday afternoon where a heavy fire caused significant damage to two businesses, an official said.
Austin firefighters were called to 519 W. Oltorf St. near South First Street after receiving reports of a heavy fire at about 3 a.m., officials have said. The fire started in an outdoor patio area of coffee shop Green Muse Cafe, and caused damage inside the cafe and the Ace Cash Express next door, officials have said.
The fire caused $125,00 damage to the Green Muse Cafe and $10,000 in damage to the Ace Cash Express, officials said.
It’s not yet clear what caused the fire, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
In terms of arson, “it’s obviously a possibility,” Smith said. “But before we even say that, we need to give investigators some time.”
Smith said investigators had a dog on the scene this afternoon to see if any accelerants were used to trigger the heavy fire.
Nikki Ibarra, 25, whose father owns nearby Habanero Mexican Cafe, said nearby businesses have faced vandalism issues for the past year.
Ibarra, who also works at Habanero, said the restaurant has had its utilities cut and rocks thrown through the window. Ibarra said windows have also been broken recently at Green Muse.
“It’s really scary,” she said.
Earlier: A heavy fire at a South Austin strip mall this morning caused more than $100,000 damage, and now Austin fire investigators are on scene trying to determine the cause, according to an official.
Austin firefighters were called to 519 W. Oltorf St. near South First Street after receiving reports of a heavy fire at about 3 a.m., said Battalion Chief Palmer Buck. About 30 firefighters responded, and they kept the fire from spreading to other businesses, Buck said.
The fire started in an outdoor patio area of coffee shop Green Muse Cafe (pictured), which also received smoke and water damage inside, Buck said. An Ace Cash Express next door also received smoke damage, Buck said.
There were no injuries reported, Buck said. It took 20 minutes to extinguish the fire, Buck said.
Buck said he expects officials to remain on the scene for at least two to three hours to try to determine the cause. Nearby roads remain clear.
“It was pretty good damage,” Buck said.
January 4, 2011
Austin firefighters rescue residents from high-rise fire
UPDATE: The cause for the fire has been officially listed as accidental. Officials said a candle set a Christmas tree on fire. Damages are estimated at $250,000 to the building’s structure and $100,000 to contents.
EARLIER: An 88-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman were rescused from balconies on the eighth floor of the Cambridge Tower and taken to St. David’s Hospital with orthopedic injuries, officials with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said.
One resident was rescued from the apartment where a Christmas tree caught fire from a candle flame, but officials did not say whether that was the person taken to the hospital. The entire floor was heavily damaged from smoke, fire officials said.
Four other residents were being evaluated and may be taken to the hospital, EMS officials said.
Austin Fire Department officials said they received an automatic alarm from an eighth-floor unit at 7:46 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring out of an 8th floor apartment.
Firefighters evacuated 100 of the tower’s 170 residents. Officials said many of the residents were not ambulatory and needed assistance to get out of the building.
The fire was extinguished by 8:30 p.m., officials said. However, many residents were being kept on the first floor while the building was being ventilated, officials said.
Another Christmas tree caught fire just a few days ago across the street from the building, fire officials said.
Cambridge Tower was built in 1964, according to Travis Central Appraisal District records. It was converted to condominiums in 1982.
Fire department officials at the scene of the fire said the building has no sprinkler system.
Residents were allowed back into their apartments shortly before 10 p.m. and at least 20 were displaced, officials said.
EARLIER: Austin Fire Department officials are at the scene of a high-rise fire near West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 18th Street.
Officials reported that the fire was on the eighth floor of the Cambridge Tower‎, 1801 Lavaca St., and may have involved a Christmas tree.
There were no reports on injuries, but officials reported that at least one person needed to be rescued from the floor where the fire started.
Officials said they have evacuated residents from multiple floors.
January 1, 2011
Fireworks, dry conditions lead to surge of area fires
Dry conditions, gusty winds and some New Year’s Eve fireworks have kept many Central Texas firefighters busy in the last couple of days, according to officials.
Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief Terry White said his department responded to a fire call as the new year rolled in about midnight at a ranch on FM 2147. Fireworks had engulfed about 16 hay bales that were within about 20 feet of a house, White said.
Firefighters were able to control the flames and keep the house from burning, he said.
White said departments around Burnet County have received a surge of calls in recent days for fires. Residents reporting their neighbors’ controlled burns, which are illegal under the county’s burn ban, made some of the calls, White said. Brush fires accounted for others, he said.
White said there were no injuries sustained from the hay bale fire. Other area fire officials reached by the American-Statesman Saturday also said they knew of no injuries from the fires.
In the Elgin area, firefighters have responded to a dozen brush fires today and yesterday, an unusually high number, said Elgin Police dispatcher Terry Nelson.
Nelson said several of the fires were controlled burns that had gotten out of hand. She said part of the area she dispatches for is in Travis County, which has temporarily banned the outdoor burning of brush, and part is in Bastrop County, which is not under a burn ban.
Buda Fire Department Captain Ralph Rodriguez said there have been about a dozen brush fires in Hays County in the last couple of days, including three or four in Buda.
He said that is a higher than usual number brought upon by dry conditions and possible fireworks.
“The humidity down and the wind gusting the way it does, the fires just kind of takes off,” Rodriguez said.
He said the Buda department responded at about 10:30 a.m. to a brush fire covering about an acre of farmland on Hillside Terrace. Firefighters were able to control the fire, whose origin could not be determined, and keep it from engulfing houses across the street.
December 19, 2010
Small fire at Ruby's BBQ
Austin fire officials said a fire in West Campus was quickly put out this afternoon and no injuries were reported at Ruby’s BBQ.
Austin Battalion fire chief Thayer Smith said the fire was near the ventilation system in the kitchen and did not spread anywhere else in the restaurant, which is near the intersection of 29th and Guadalupe streets.
The call came in about 12:45 p.m. and was extinguished before 1 p.m. The fire was ruled accidental and the damage was estimated at $25,000.
December 15, 2010
Sugar Shack on West Campus destroyed in fire
The Sugar Shack was destroyed Wednesday afternoon after a spark traveled inside the small food trailer and ignited a fire, according to fire officials.
No one was inside the trailer, which is parked across the street from the University of Texas’ Dobie Dorm at Whitis Ave. and 21st Street, said Austin fire Lt. Josh Portie.
Portie said there was a small fire box outside the trailer and a spark or ember got inside. Damage was estimated at $16,000.
December 13, 2010
Fire destroys vintage cars, causes $1 million in damage
A fire destroyed several vintage cars Monday after in a South Austin fire, and several more were damaged, according to Austin Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
The Fire Department got the call about 2:40 p.m. Monday. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming out of a warehouse building at 2056 West Stassney Lane, Smith said.
Damage estimates are about $1 million for the cars and about $100,000 to the building, according to the fire department. The cause has not been determined.
Smith said there were 22 cars and eight motorcycles inside the warehouse. The cars dated back to the 1920s and at least four of them were destroyed, Smith said. He said several more suffered smoke and soot damage.
Smith said the owner of the warehouse reported that one of the destroyed vintage motorcycles in the warehouse was driven by Peter Fonda in the movie “Easy Rider.”
Red Cross to assist 7 residents displaced by fire
The American Red Cross of Central Texas will be assisting seven residents displaced by an early morning fire, a spokesman for the agency said.
The fire at a duplex residence at 10304 Brownie Drive extended to the attic from a water heater closet and displaced the residents, officials said. The fire broke out around 7:30 a.m, officials said.
“This is the second fire we have responded in the last three days,” Emergency Services Director Jose Dominguez said in a Red Cross statement.“We urge Central Texans to use caution this holiday season.”
Earlier today, the Austin Fire Department reported it responded to two fires in the last three days caused by improperly discarded fireplace ashes. The department was urging caution among residents to properly dispose of ashes.
November 25, 2010
UPDATE: Hyde Park house fire sends two to hospital
A Hyde Park house fire on Thursday has been ruled an accident by the Austin Fire Department, which found the cause to be combustible items placed too close to a wood burning stove.
Damage to the house and its contents was $250,000.
EARLIER: A 65-year-old woman sustained burns to her face and neck when a fire broke out in her Hyde Park home on Thursday, according to the Austin Fire Department.
Two other people were also in the home when the fire started around 5:30 p.m., including an 90-year-old woman who was rescued by firefighters and the injured woman’s son who escaped the fire on his own.
Both women were transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge. The burn victim was seriously injured while her mother had minor smoke inhalation. Both are expected to recover, Austin Fire Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said.
The damage to the house was significant, Buck said. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
November 18, 2010
Overnight apartment fire in North Austin displaces eight
Update 9:10: Officials had previously said six people had been displaced by the fire but later said that two people who lived in the apartment chose to stay elsewhere, while six people in the unit below were moved to an empty apartment.
Earlier: An overnight fire at a small apartment complex in North Austin has displaced eight residents and caused $120,000 in damage, according to an Austin Fire Department official.
The fire broke out at the 6200 block of Melrose Trail, near the intersections of McNeil Drive and West Parmer Lane, at around 12:18 a.m., said Fire Specialist Andre de la Reza.
The fire originated in the balcony of a second-floor unit of a fourplex and went through the roof, de la Reza said. There was extensive fire, smoke and water damage to the apartment where the fire originated, he said. There was water damage to the unit below, he said.
The displaced residents either stayed elsewhere or were placed in empty apartments, de la Reza said.
The fire was caused by improperly discarded fireplace material, de la Reza said.
November 16, 2010
Fire at North Austin residence out, official says
A fire at an apartment complex in North Austin that triggered the evacuation of several residents is out, an official for the Austin Fire Department said Tuesday.
The fire at 7201 Hart Lane near MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) and Far West Boulevard broke out sometime around 1 p.m. and was out within minutes, the spokesman said.
Although the fire was contained to a single vacant unit, several residents were evacuated, the spokesman said. There were no immediate reports of any injuries or the cause or extent of the damage from the fire, the spokesman said.
November 10, 2010
Cat dies in apartment fire; one person displaced
A Central Austin apartment fire Wednesday displaced one resident and killed a cat, according to an Austin Fire Department official.
The fire at 606 Elmwood Place, near E. Dean Keaton and Red River streets, was caused by an electrical overload of a power outlet, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
Several residents of the five-unit apartment complex were evacuated, but only one of those residents was displaced, Smith said. A cat found inside could not be revived and died from smoke inhalation, Smith said.
The fire caused $8,000 in damage but was contained to one room of an apartment, Smith said.
October 28, 2010
West Campus fire sends one to hospital
An early morning fire at a West Campus residential complex has sent one person to the hospital and displaced four residents, according to an Austin fire official.
The fire broke out about 5:30 a.m. on a fifth-floor balcony at a residential complex at 904 W. 22½ Street near West 24th Street, said Lt. Randy Elmore.
The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes and was limited to the balcony area of the apartment, thanks to sprinkler activation and firefighters, Elmore said.
One person suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge, Elmore said.
Improperly discarded smoking materials started the fire, which spread to patio furniture and subsequently to exterior siding of the building, Elmore said.
“If you are going to smoke, make sure you put it out,” he said.
Other units saw water damage, Elmore said. Damage was estimated at $30,000, he said.
Residents were evacuated as fire was extinguished, Elmore said, but have since been let back in.
The displaced residents would be assisted by property management to locate temporary housing.
October 25, 2010
Candle caused W. Elizabeth St. fire, official says
UPDATE:
An early morning fire at a duplex in South Austin at 313 West Elizabeth caused $15,000 in damage, an official for the Austin Fire Department said.
The fire was extinguished at the duplex, located near South First Street, in less than two minutes, Smith said. The cause was an unattended candle, Smith said.
EARLIER:
An early morning fire at a South Austin duplex on West Elizabeth Street has been quickly extinguished and there are no reports of any injuries, an Austin Fire Department spokesman said.
The fire broke out around 7 a.m. this morning in a bedroom of the duplex in the 300 block of West Elizabeth near South First Street, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith.
The fire was quickly extinguished by the first arriving unit, which was located just down the street, Smith said.
The resident of the duplex, who was displaced by the fire, was outside by the time the unit arrived and was not injured, he said.
It appears a candle was the cause of the fire, Smith said.
Small fire at Bowie H.S. won't impact classes today
UPDATE: The fire at Bowie High School was in a metal container holding large track and field athletic pads, and the cost of damage was estimated to be about $4,800, officials for the Austin Fire Department said.
EARLIER: A small fire that broke out early this morning in an outdoor storage pod at Bowie High School shouldn’t affect any regular school activities there today, a spokesman for the Austin Fire Department said Monday.
The fire began shortly after 5 a.m. in a pod on a field for the school at 4103 W. Slaughter Lane, said Battalion Chief Thayer Smith. It was extinguished within minutes, the spokesman said. The pod contained athletic mats, Smith said.
An investigator remained on scene this morning to look into the cause of the fire, Smith said. Cost of damage was not immediately known, Smith said.
October 24, 2010
Death in mobile home fire that displaced seven people
UPDATE: Austin Fire Department officials report that one of the people rescued from the Ellon Road fire Saturday morning has died.
Officials identified the dead man as 46-year-old Gary Rosenthal.
The preliminary cause of death is complications due to smoke inhalation, officials said. The final cause of death is pending toxicology results.
Fire department officials say no foul play is suspected.
The other two victims of the fire are still receiving treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center, officials said.
The cause of fire remains under investigation, and investigators are interviewing witnesses, officials said.
EARLIER: Three people were hospitalized with serious injuries this morning after a mobile home fire in Southeastern Travis County, Austin Fire Department officials said.
Four others were treated at the scene of the fire, which happened in the 2900 block of Ellon Road. Officials said seven people had been displaced. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
September 22, 2010
Nobody injured in North Austin four-plex fire
A fire at a unit for a North Austin four-plex was quickly extinguished early this morning, an Austin fire official said.
The fire broke out on the first floor of one unit in the four-plex located at 2002 Dexmoor Drive at about 5:45 a.m., said Austin Fire Specialist Andre de la Reza. The fire was extinguished by 6:01 a.m. and did not spread to any other units, Reza said.
The cause of the fire or damage estimates were not immediately known, Reza said. Someone lived at the unit, but there were no reported injuries, Reza said.
September 17, 2010
Texas State University building evacuated after small fire
San Marcos firefighters have quickly extinguished a fire that broke out on the third flood of the liberal arts building at Texas State University, according to a spokesman for the university’s police department.
The fire started about 11:50 a.m. in room 316 of the liberal arts building and was extinguished within 20 minutes, said TSU police Sgt. Robert Campbell. There were no reported injuries, and it was not immediately clear what caused the fire or the extent of the damage, Campbell said.
The building was immediately evacuated, and personnel from the San Marcos Fire Department remained on scene to investigate what may have triggered the fire, Campbell said.
Much of the smoke was concentrated to the third floor, Campbell said.
“They had it extinguished very quickly, but it did produce a bit of smoke,” Campbell said.
September 11, 2010
Killeen Police investigating a house fire
KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE
September 11, 2010
Killeen Police and Fire Departments are investigating a house fire and the death of a female found inside the residence on Saturday, September 11, 2010.
Killeen Police and Fire were dispatched to 2502 Cross Timber Dr. at 2:10am on Saturday, September 11, 2010, after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor who reported the house was on fire. Upon their arrival the fire department observed flames through the roof of the house and immediately began to extinguish the fire. Four fire engines and a ladder truck, two ambulances, a rescue truck and three command vehicles were required due to the size of the fire. The nozzles used to extinguish the fire releases up to 1000 gallons of water a minute. At approximately 3:10am, the fire was under control and fire fighters located a female inside the residence. Justice of the Peace Garland Potvin pronounced 52 year old resident Zoraida M. Clarke-Adams deceased at 4:48am and ordered and autopsy to be performed at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation as well as the death of the victim information will be released as it becomes available.
Carroll Smith Public Information Killeen Police Department
September 1, 2010
Small fire out at residential building on North Lamar
Austin firefighters have put out a small fire on the roof of a residential building on North Lamar Boulevard near downtown Austin, an official said.
The fire broke out about 7:30 a.m. at the 300 North Lamar residences located near Cesar Chavez Street and was quickly extinguished, said Austin fire Lt. James Baker.
There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire and any damage is yet to be determined, Baker said.
August 26, 2010
Blaze displaces two people
Two East Austin residents are displaced tonight after a fire destroyed part of their home, fire officials said.
The fire began about 6 p.m. on the second story of a single family home in the 1000 block of Valdez Street, near Montopolis Drive, said Austin fire Lt. Josh Portie.
Portie said firefighters responded to calls from neighbors about flames coming out of the top of the home.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries but were treated and released at the scene, Portie said. He also said the two residents of the home were able to escape from the residence uninjured.
He said the fire was accidental and electrical in nature. Damage to the home was estimated at $85,000.
July 27, 2010
Fire breaks out in parking garage of Brackenridge
UPDATE: Austin Fire Department officials say the cause of a fire that consumed two vehicles in a parking garage at University Medical Center Brackenridge is accidental.
It was a engine compartent fire in one vehicle that had spread to the second vehicle, officials said. Estimated damage to both vehicles is $80,000.
EARLIER: The Austin Fire Department has extinguished a fire that broke out in the parking garage of the University Medical Center Brackenridge, at 601 E. 15th St.
The fire involved two vehicles in the parking garage, a department spokesperson said. Five fire trucks were dispatched to the scene at 2:42 p.m. and the fire was under control within 20 minutes, officials said.
Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire and damages, the official said. There have been no reports of injuries.
Austin man charged with arson in Shoal Creek home fire
Journalist Michael Point set the Shoal Creek home where he was facing eviction on fire and now is facing arson charges, according to an arrest affidavit filed today by the Austin Fire Department.
The fire erupted on July 21, after Point, 60, poured a trail of gasoline throughout the house, along a hallway and to a front bedroom, causing extensive fire and smoke damage at the home in the 6100 block of Shoal Creek Boulevard, the affidavit said.
A witness saw Point “break through the windows on the front of the house, with what the witness described as intense fire erupting from the windows and room immediately after the man jumped through the windows,” the affidavit said. “The witness said the man then fled from the scene.”
Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN — Firefighters work the home fire in the 6100 block of Shoal Creek Boulevard.
A next door neighbor gave police a written apology that they believe Point left, the affidavit said. In the note, Point apologizes “for leaving his car in front of his neighbor’s house for reasons ‘which will be obvious by the time you read this,’ ” the affidavit said.
Point was found three blocks from his home by the Austin Police Department. He had burns and lacerations on his extremities, the affidavit said. He was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge.
Point smelled of gasoline when investigators interviewed him at the hospital, the affidavit said. There, when asked about the cause of the fire, Point responded “gas can,” the affidavit said.
Investigators concluded that fumes from the poured gasoline were possibly ignited by the pilot light on a water heater, the affidavit said.
According to court records related to the eviction proceedings, Point was a tenant at the rental home since 2006, and was just over two months behind on his monthly $1,295 rent. Point was given notice of the eviction on July 2.
The landlord claimed Point should be evicted because there was “failure to pay rent as agreed,” the court records said. Point was slated to appear in a morning court hearing connected to the eviction on July 22, the day after the fire erupted at the home.
Damage was estimated at $250,000 for the structure and $100,000 for the contents, Austin fire officials said.
Point has been a freelance writer for numerous local and national publications, and specialized in writing about music and professional baseball. Point frequently contributed stories on jazz and blues music to the American-Statesman in the 1980s and 1990s.
More recently, he covered the Round Rock Express’ first three seasons for the Statesman and has written for Downbeat music magazine, Baseball America and the Austin Chronicle, among other publications.
Travis County inmate records did not show that Point is in custody, but he faces a $75,000 bail on the arson charge. An Austin Fire Department spokeswoman said today that Point is still in the hospital but will be arrested when he is released.
July 26, 2010
Two-alarm fire at Southeast Austin home
Austin area firefighters tackled an early morning, two-alarm fire at a residence in Southeast Austin, according to emergency pages.
The fire broke out about 4 a.m. at the home in the 9600 block of Capitol View, close to the intersections of Old Lockhart Highway and East Slaughter Lane, according to the pages.
Several units were called to the scene and continued to battle the blaze into the next hour, according to the pages.
July 22, 2010
Woman charged with arson in apartment fire
A woman has been charged with arson in connection with a fire at a North Austin apartment early Sunday, according to an arrest affidavit filed Thursday by the Fire Department.
Kiomi Tanisha Smith, 22, at right, intentionally set fire to clothes in an apartment where she lived at 1001 Rutland Drive, the affidavit said.
The fire at the Runnymede Apartments shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday displaced eight people and caused $45,000 in damages, the affidavit said.
Smith used a “handheld ignition device” to set fire to the clothes after she was engaged in a physical and verbal altercation with the man she lived with, the affidavit said. The affidavit also said Smith had an argument with another individual, a female, earlier that morning.
Smith chased her roommate out of the apartment with a stick, slashed the tires on his vehicle, and was seen throwing a rock through an apartment window, the affidavit said. After the glass broke, witnesses reporting hearing smoke detectors activate and several individuals yell “Fire,” the affidavit said.
Smith was arrested Thursday afternoon, said Fire Department Capt. Andy Reardon. She faces bail of $20,000, the affidavit said.
July 21, 2010
One person injured in Shoal Creek house fire
Update 6:30 p.m.: Michael Point, a freelance writer for numerous local and national publications, was in good condition at University Medical Center Brackenridge after the North Austin home he was renting burned this morning.
The home in the 6100 block of Shoal Creek Boulevard was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, said Austin Fire Division Chief Mike Frick. The home’s 56-year-old occupant suffered burns to his feet and inhalation burns and was found a few blocks away from the home, officials said.
Fire Department officials said the fire was intentionally set. The fire remains under investigation and no charges have been filed. They estimated the damage at $250,000 for the structure and $100,000 for the contents.
Neighbor Jim Bryce identified the home’s occupant as Point, a freelance writer on music and professional baseball who frequently contributed stories on jazz and blues music to the American-Statesman in the 1980s and 1990s. He covered the Round Rock Express’ first three seasons for the Statesman and has written for Downbeat music magazine, Baseball America and the Austin Chronicle, among other publications.
Court records show that Point was facing possible eviction for failure to pay rent. An eviction hearing had been set for today in Justice of the Peace Court 5 but was postponed after the fire.
Point declined to comment tonight.
Officials investigate Club Ozone fire
Austin-area fire officials are investigating what may have caused an extensive fire early this morning at Club Ozone and a nearby residential structure in far eastern Travis County.
The two-alarm fire broke out around 5 a.m. at 5101 Blue Bluff Road, near Texas 130 and FM 969, and caused extensive damage to the structure and an attached home, said specialist Art Liscano for Emergency Services District No. 4.
The fire was “fully involved,” and flames were shooting out of the roof of the structure, Liscano said. A wall of the structure fell down and knocked down some power lines, he said.
It also impacted an attached home, Liscano said.
No one was on the premises, crews discovered after investigating the scene, Liscano said.
There was no immediate details on the estimate of damage or the cause of the fire, Liscano said.
The blaze was extinguished by 6 a.m., he said.
ESD. No. 4, assisted by ESD No. 11 and 12 and Pflugerville and Austin fire departments helped fight the fire, Liscano said.
“It was good to have all that help,” he said.
Truck fire shuts down Ed Bluestein
Austin police cleared the scene of an 18-wheeler that caught fire this morning at Ed Bluestein Boulevard near Loyola Lane, a police official said Wednesday.
Emergency crews responded to the scene shortly before 7 a.m., according to emergency pages. There were no injuries reported.
Northbound Ed Bluestein was closed as a result of the fire, according to the police official.
Ed Bluestein was reopened shortly before 8 a.m. as crews continued to clear the scene there, according to emergency pages.
Calls keep firefighters busy today
It’s been a busy morning for area fire fighters, who have also responded to early emergency calls off Interstate 35 near Edgewood Avenue and a two-alarm fire off Texas 130 and Webberville Road early this morning.
The call to scene off Interstate 35 came shortly after 5 a.m. this morning.
The call to a two-alarm fire to a residence at 5101 Blue Bluff Road came in at about 5:15 a.m. this morning.
July 13, 2010
Fire damages several businesses
A fire this morning damaged two Northwest Austin businesses and potentially affected several more with smoke damage, a fire official said Tuesday.
The fire broke out about 8:05 a.m. at 10700 Anderson Mill Road, damaging the Ivory Cleaners and a florist business next door, said Austin Fire Department Lt. Josh Portie. Another 18 businesses in the strip mall may have suffered smoke damage, Portie said.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire and damage estimates were not immediately available, Portie said. It was also not clear when some of the businesses would be able to reopen.
June 19, 2010
Firefighters save dog from South Austin blaze
An afternoon fire tore through a South Austin home today, displacing one resident and causing $100,000 worth of damage, according to Austin Fire Department officials.
Fire officials said they were able to save a basset hound who was inside the home at 2102 Rabb Glen St. Officials ruled the fire accidental and said it was caused by an electrical malfunction in the air conditioning unit.
June 14, 2010
Officials: Pipe repair caused apartment fire yesterday
Update Tuesday: The cause of the fire at an East Austin apartment complex yesterday was a faulty pipe repair, the Austin Fire Department said today.
Plumbers were using heat in the normal process of preventing leaks, and residual heat from the repair started the fire, officials said.
Officials said this is not a common cause of fires.
Earlier: Two apartments were damaged, and an East Austin apartment complex was evacuated while fire fighters fought a blaze about 5: 30 p.m. Monday.
A firefighter and one person were taken to a hospital with heat-related injuries, officials said.
Officials said the fire at 2425 Elmont Drive caused all of the apartments at the Garden Oaks Apartments to lose power. Everyone was evacuated and two units were damaged, fire officials said.
The American Red Cross, apartment management and the Austin Fire Department are helping some of the occupants relocate. The department said there was about $300,000 in damage.
June 11, 2010
Trailer fire extinguished
A small fire under a mobile home was quickly extinguished after units from Austin area fire departments responded to a call in far South Austin this morning, an Austin Fire Department spokesman said Friday.
The fire started close to 8 a.m. this morning at a residential address at the 11000 block of Slaughter Creek Drive, which is close to Manchaca Road and Slaughter Lane, the spokesman said.
The fire was extinguished close to 8:15 a.m. this morning, the spokesman said.
No injuries were reported, the spokesman said.
June 9, 2010
Fire destroys Barr Mansion ballroom
Austin area fire officials said a fire this morning has destroyed the detached ballroom at Barr Mansion, a popular destination for weddings and other large events. No injuries were reported.
The fire, at Barr Mansion at 10463 Sprinkle Road, was a total loss for the two-part building that contained the ballroom and a support room, causing an estimated loss of more than $500,000, according to an Austin area fire official.
The fire did not affect the main building at the site, the 106-year-old mansion, the fire official said.
For now, fire officials say the preliminary cause of the fire may have been a lightning strike connected to overnight storms, said Chief Flo Soliz for Emergency Service District No. 4.
“In an hour to an hour and a half (investigators) will be able to come in and do a more thorough investigation,” Soliz said. “Right now, it’s more of a gut feeling because of all the lightning strikes in the area.”
The fire broke out at about 4 a.m. this morning, said Soliz, whose Emergency Service District No. 4. tackled this morning’s fire along with units from Emergency Service District No. 12 and the Travis County Fire Marshal’s office.
The roof of the building did come down as a result of the fire, Soliz said.
The fire was tough news for staff at Barr Mansion on Wednesday, who were scrambling to touch base with couples with upcoming weddings during what is a very busy season for the facility. One staffer said the roof of the ballroom was comprised of 18th-century wood that had been shipped and flown in from Turkey. The 45-foot ceiling is what gave the ballroom its dramatic feel.
The staffer said that planned weddings would go on. This weekend the Barr Mansion had three weddings scheduled at the 7-acre property.
“The show must go on, and it will go on,” said Mario Trevino, head groundskeeper, who has been at the Barr Mansion for 17 years.
The ballroom was constructed about 11 years ago, Trevino said. The Barr Mansion began hosting events about 20 years ago. Trevino said they were initially planning to use tents on site to house upcoming wedding events until the ballroom facility could be rebuilt. Fortunately, the mansion was untouched, Trevino said.
The Barr Mansion hosts about 80 wedding each year, Trevino said. Summer is the mansion’s busiest season for weddings, he said.
There were no injuries as a result of the fire, but units are still on scene to ensure embers do not lead to more fires on the scene, Soliz said. Overall, two fire engine trucks, a ladder company and two battalion chiefs responded to the fire, Soliz said.
June 8, 2010
Fire at Statesman extinguished
Austin Fire Department personnel have put out a vehicle fire in the loading dock area of the Austin American-Statesman this afternoon.
Robert Quigley
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Ronny Mangold, of Blanco, said he was doing his contract job changing oil for American-Statesman delivery vehicles when he heard something pop on his own delivery vehicle parked nearby.
Mangold said soon after that pop, his delivery truck caught on fire.
The fire was put out shortly there after. There were no injuries.
June 7, 2010
Fire officials investigate smoke at UT dorm
UPDATE 7:10 A.M.: Austin fire officials say the nearby intersection at 21st Street and Speedway are now reopened and free of Austin Fire Department vehicles.
EARLIER: A University of Texas dormitory was evacuated early this morning after Austin Fire officials received a call about smoke coming out of a freezer unit there, an fire official said Monday.
Fire emergency personnel were paged to the scene sometime around 6:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call about smoke coming out of a walk-in freezer in the basement of Jester Dormitory at 203 East 21st Street, said Austin Fire Department spokesman Andre De La Reza.
De La Reza said a worker opened the walk-in freezer this morning and shut it after seeing smoke coming out of it. De La Reza said it may be a freon leak.
As a precaution, workers and residents there were evacuated as fire officials investigated, De La Reza said. However, fire officials say they would be let in shortly, De La Reza said.
Not as many students as usual are staying at Jester this time of year with the Spring semester complete. However, some students still stay there at this time of year for summer or visiting programs, De La Reza said.
May 29, 2010
Firefighter injured in early morning warehouse fire
Austin Fire Department officials said this morning that a fire at an East Austin warehouse sent a firefighter to University Medical Center Brackenridge hospital with a back injury.
The firefighter’s name was not released and the extent of his injuries was unclear Saturday morning.
Officials said there were no other injuries reported.
The fire started before 5 a.m. this morning at 1100 East 5th Street. The blaze was extinguished shortly before 6:30 a.m.
Officials say they were still trying to determine what lead to the fire which damaged Texas Office Products and Supply, an office furniture store, and Nature’s Treasures of Texas, a business that sells jewelry and minerals.
Preliminary cause and damage estimates have not been released.
May 17, 2010
Suspected arsonist may have been 'emotionally disturbed,' investigator says
Austin Fire Department investigators said today that a man who admitted setting fire to a South Austin hotel Sunday would not give a reason for his actions but “may have been emotionally disturbed.”
Mohamed Amine Lahlou, 33, was arrested about 6 p.m. Sunday, approximately six hours after he set fire to his room at the Americas Best Value Inn on S. Interstate 35 near Oltorf Street, investigators have said.
At a press conference today, Battalion Chief Aaron Woolverton said Lahlou is a Moroccan citizen who received a bachelor’s degree at St. Edward’s University in either 1999 or 2000. Lahlou left the United States for about eight years and only returned recently, Woolverton said.
Woolverton said that in recent weeks Lahlou had spoken to federal agents to report another person for committing what he believed was a crime. The details of that report gave fire investigators “some indication that he may have been emotionally disturbed,” Woolverton said.
He would not elaborate on the report or identify the agency but said authorities do not believe Lahlou’s accusations were credible.
Lahlou has no criminal record and investigators have not discovered any friends or family members of his in the Austin area, Woolverton said.
Before getting a room at the Americas Best Value Inn, Lahlou stayed for 14 days at Hostel Austin, a Hostelling International-run facility on Lakeshore Bouelvard, Woolverton said.
A manager at the hostel, who declined to give her name, confirmed that Lahlou had stayed there but would not answer questions about his behavior. None of the hostel guests interviewed there today recalled Lahlou.
Guests at the hostel, where a dorm bed is $24.85, are only allowed to stay for 14 days. After exhausting his stay, he went to Americas Best Value Inn, where he had been staying in room 303 when the fire began, Woolverton said.
The Fire Department was called at 12:11 p.m. Sunday. Investigators said the fire spread quickly because the hotel was not equipped with in-room sprinklers.
Since 1988, newly built hotels or ones undergoing major renovations in the City of Austin have been required to install in-room sprinklers. But the Americas Best Value Inn was built in 1984 and was not required to have the sprinklers, said Assistant Chief Harry Evans. Evans said the hotel has fire alarms and smoke detectors in rooms and had passed its most recent inspections, the latest in June.
The fire caused $1.5 million in damages, according to an arrest affidavit. The only injury reported among the estimated 40 people who were at the hotel during the fire was for smoke inhalation, investigators said.
Investigators had identified Lahlou as the person occupying the room where the fire started by the late afternoon Sunday when he called 911 and said he “was the person who had started the fire at the ‘motel near Oltorf Street,’” the affidavit said.
He made the call from near Whole Foods at W. Third and Bowie streets, where he was arrested, the affidavit said.
Woolverton said that after the arrest, Lahlou “seemed a little distant” but was “coherent and speaking to us.”
He explained that he set the fire using paper, cloth and a cigarette lighter, the affidavit said. Woolverton said after waiving his right to a lawyer and speaking to investigators for about a 15 to 20 minutes, Lahlou was asked why he set the fire. At that point he requested a lawyer and the interview ended, Woolverton said.
Woolverton said that he did not know whether Lahlou has a lawyer. He is being held at the Travis County Jail with bail set at $100,000.
May 16, 2010
Four rescued from burning hotel; arson suspect arrested
UPDATE 9:40 A.M.: A man has been arrested in connection with Sunday’s arson fire of a South Austin hotel, according to police and fire officials.
Mohamed Amine Lahlou, 32, pictured at right in a booking photo released Monday morning by Austin Police, has been charged with first-degree arson, fire officials have said. He was arrested shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Travis County jail records.
UPDATE 8:50 P.M.: An Austin Fire Department official said a man told police he had started the hotel fire by igniting bedding in a third-story room.
Mohamed Amine Lahlou, pictured at right, has been charged with first-degree arson, said Fire Department spokesman Andy Reardon.
Reardon said Lahlou called 9-1-1 about 6 p.m. to report that he had started the fire, and that he gave officials his address, where he was arrested.
Reardon said he did not know the motive for the arson fire.
UPDATE 7:45 P.M.: A suspect has been arrested for arson in connection with this fire, officials said. Check back for more details following an 8:30 p.m. news conference.
EARLIER: A three-alarm fire extensively damaged a South Austin hotel today, displacing about 40 people but causing no major injuries.
The blaze started around noon at the Americas Best Value Inn, at 2525 South Interstate 35. Fire Department spokeswoman Lyzz Donelson said firefighter Alex Venagas had worked one firefighting shift and was traveling to another station for a second shift when he saw flames coming from the three-story hotel. Venagas pulled over and, using a ladder from fire trucks that were arriving at the hotel, he rescued one guest from a hotel window, Donelson said.
Firefighters rescued three other guests through windows, she said. One was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation, which was not life-threatening, she said.
The blaze took crews a few hours to fully extinguish. There is no estimate yet of the damage, and the cause is still under investigation, Donelson said.
Hotel managers and the Red Cross were working to find rooms for the displaced at nearby hotels, Donelson said.
The hotel sits off of the northbound frontage road heading towards Oltorf, and police and fire crews have that section of frontage road blocked off, which has contributed to traffic backups throughout the afternoon.
May 15, 2010
Lighting causes house fire in Kyle
A house in Kyle was destroyed by a fire early Saturday that was believed to be caused by a lightening strike, officials with the Kyle police department and Buda Volunteer Fire Department said.
No one was injured in the blaze, officials said.
First responders were called at around 5 a.m to the 100 block of Claudeil Road in Kyle in the Waterleaf subdivision located east of Interstate 35 off of FM 150 in Kyle, officials said.
When Buda firefighters arrived on the scene the roof had already partially collapsed and crews spent another two and a half hours battling the blaze, according to an incident report.
May 6, 2010
Fire marshal investigating house fire near Lake Travis
The Travis County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating an early morning residential fire that destroyed a home in the Lake Travis area, a fire official said Thursday.
The fire, which broke out sometime before 2 a.m. at the 3400 block of Windy Harbor, began on a series of decks outside the two-story home, said James Linardos, chief of Lake Travis Fire Rescue, otherwise known as Travis County Emergency Service District No. 6.
“It’s still under investigation,” Linardos said, and is in the hands of the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office.
There was no immediate figure available on damage, but Linardos said the two-story structure of about 3,500 square feet was destroyed.
Crews from the Austin and West Lake Hills fire departments also assisted in gaining control of the blaze, which took about two hours to put out, Linardos said.
A family of four, including two children, were displaced, but will now stay with relatives, he said. There were no injuries, Linardos said.
The family was met assisted by Red Cross workers.
April 29, 2010
Four men charged in 2006 church fire
Four men are being sought after they were charged this week in connection with a June 2006 fire at a far South Austin church, according to arrest affidavits filed this week.
Qareman “Cameron” Dlawar Showani, 19, Eric “Raven” Rodriguez, 22, Nickolay Nikolaev Koutzarov, 22 and Erik Michael Monson, 21 have all been charged with arson, a second-degree felony, for setting fire to St. John’s Presbyterian Church near Brodie and Hewitt lanes, the affidavit said.
The group used gasoline to set fire to the church’s vestibule; the fire then spread into the worship area, the affidavit said. The damage was estimated to be $30,000 to $50,000 by fire officials.
The charges come four years after the case pulled in investigators for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, the Travis County Deputy Fire Marshal’s Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
At the time, the fire to the single-story, 6,000-square-foot church drew concerns that it may have been the result of a hate crime.
The incident began after the men, all teens at the time, joined friends at the home a female teen to drink beer the evening of June 6, 2006, the affidavit said.
“The group was ‘drinking and messing around,’” Koutzarov told investigators, the affidavit said.
The teens left to drive around after several hours of drinking, and the female took a red, plastic gasoline container with them, the affidavit said.
“As they were leaving, they were chanting ‘destruction’ over and over,” one of the teens, John Joe “J.J.” Ramirez, told investigators, the affidavit said. Ramirez told investigators that the plans for the night included burning a church, the affidavit said.
After stopping at a convenience store at Slaughter and Brodie lanes, the teens drove through neighborhoods, then decided to set fire to the church, the affidavit said. Some of the teens got off the vehicle, while others waited in the car, the affidavit said.
John Joe “J.J.” Ramirez told investigators the “incident became too much for him and … walked home,” the affidavit said. “One he arrived home, he called 3-1-1 to report the incident.”
Police were later called to the home of the female teen, where a disturbance took place, the affidavit said. She had a history of setting fires at other locations, and was taken into custody, the affidavit said. As she was being booked, police noticed she smelled of gasoline and had burn marks on her legs. Later, a search of her clothes turned up a cap to a gasoline container, the affidavit said.
The female teen was later charged with arson in connection with the fire, but officials declined to release her name or other details because she was a minor at the time.
The four men have not been arrested, said Travis County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Roger Wade. Each face bail of $5,000, the affidavit said.
April 27, 2010
Man found in destroyed home identified
Officials have identified a man whose body was found inside a fire-ravaged house Sunday evening just northwest of Leander.
Neighbors saw Curtis Olson, 46, walk into the home at 2065 County Road 280, off of Bagdad Road, just before hearing an explosion about 6:20 p.m., Williamson County sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. John Foster said.
The home was destroyed, Foster said.
Olson’s body was later found in the home, which he owned. His body was taken to the Travis County medical examiner’s office.
Foster said fire officials have not determined what caused the fire.
April 26, 2010
Man found dead after house fire near Leander
UPDATE: FROM THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: The victim of Sunday’s house fire at 2065 County Road 280, in Western Williamson County, has been identified. The victim is 46 year old Curtis Olson. The victim is the owner of the home as previously suspected by arson investigators. The case still remains open awaiting further test results.
EARLIER: Officials are investigating how a man died after his body was found inside a fire-ravaged house Sunday evening just northwest of Leander, Williamson County sheriff’s Sgt. John Foster said.
Just before 6:20 p.m., Liberty Hill and Leander firefighters were called to the fire on County Road 280, off of Bagdad Road, where they found the home fully engulfed in flames, Foster said. He said neighbors saw someone walk into the home just before hearing an explosion. The home was destroyed, officials said.
Foster said investigators found a man’s body in the home about 2 a.m.
The body was taken to the Travis County medical examiner’s office, and sheriff’s officials are waiting for positive identification and his cause of death, Foster said.
He said the blaze destroyed the home and that investigators have not determined what caused the fire.
April 19, 2010
Person dead in Buda-area fire, explosion
UPDATE: Opiela said investigators are still working to determine the male victim’s identity. The victim had been burned beyond recognition, Opiela said, and dental records are being used to positively identify him. No other information was available.
EARLIER: An unknown person was found dead today in the embers of a Buda-area home that caught on fire, and then exploded as Hays County firefighters were fighting the blaze.
Fire fighters, called to the fire at 1132 Live Oak Loop just before 11 a.m. today, were working to put out the fire in the home’s garage, which was fully engulfed in flames, when there was an explosion in the house itself, Hays County Sheriff’s office spokesman Leroy Opiela said. The explosion, evidently caused by accumulated natural gas from a leak according to Opiela, blew out the back wall of the house and windows on the home’s front wall.
Opiela said fire fighters were able to quickly put out the fire in the house. Later, when they had extinguished the blaze in the garage, they found a person’s body. Opiela said police don’t yet know the person’s identity — he didn’t know if it was a man or a woman — or if that person is the owner of the home.
Hays Central Appraisal District records list Steve Woelfel as the owner of the 2,047-square-foot home at 1132 Live Oak Loop. The garage is listed as detached from the house.
The home is in the Hays County Oaks subdivision, a neighborhood of large lots and widely separated homes about three miles north and west of downtown Buda. Opiela said no other homes were damaged in the incident, and there were no other injuries.
The Hays County fire marshal is investigating the blaze and the death, Opiela said.
April 15, 2010
Fire destroys Georgetown fourplex, displaces 20
A fire early this morning at a fourplex at 403 Hedgewood Drive in Georgetown destroyed most of the building, said Georgetown Fire Department Chief Robert Fite.
There were no injuries, he said.
Neighbors saw flames coming out of the second floor and part of the first floor and notified the occupants, said Fite. “They got everybody out. We’re really lucky.”
Twenty people were displaced by the fire and have been receiving help from the American Red Cross, the agency said in a statement today.
The fire appears to be caused by an unattended candle, Fite said. Firefighters were notified at 3 a.m. and had the fire under control in two hours, he said. About 75 percent of the building was damaged, he said.
Monetary estimates of the damage are pending.
Correction: Georgetown Fire Chief Robert Fite’s name was misspelled in an earlier version of this entry.
April 2, 2010
Austin firefighters dispose of chemicals producing gas in trash truck
Austin firefighters this afternoon neutralized household chemicals that were producing gas in the back of a city dump truck and that could have led to a fire, Lt. Randall Elmore said.
About 12:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming out of the back of the trash truck, which was at 1100 Navasota St. in East Austin, Elmore said. After moving the truck to a more isolated area and dumping its contents, Elmore said firefighters found two gallons of muriatic acid, a gallon of sulfuric acid and a bottle of naptha, which can be used as a solvent or paint thinner, he said.
He said someone had improperly disposed the chemicals by just throwing them in the trash. They combined and started releasing gas.
Elmore said firefighters finished disposing of the chemicals properly about 4:30 p.m.
He urges residents who need to dispose of hazardous chemicals to take them to the city’s hazardous waste center at 3810 Todd Lane.
The city Solid Waste Department says:
Anything that is flammable, corrosive, toxic, poisonous, reactive, or explosive is hazardous and should not be put in your trash. Look for words like “Caution,” “Warning” or “Danger” on the label. Common hazardous waste items around the house include:
Batteries
Thermometers
Fluorescent Lights
Empty Containers
Paints and Solvents: Solvents, Latex Paint, Oil-Based Paint, Furniture Strippers, Paint Thinners, etc.
Lawn Care Chemicals: Fertilizers, Pesticides, Pool Chemicals, Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides, etc.
Household Cleaning Products: Bleach, Products with Bleach, Ammonia, Ammonia-Based Products, All-Purpose Cleaners, Furniture Polish, Spot Removers, Scouring Powder, Oven Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaners, Bug Spray, etc.
Automotive Products: Motor Oil, Oil Filters, Gasoline, Anti-Freeze, Lubricants, Car Batteries, Brake Fluid, Transmission Fluid, Car Wax, Metal Polish, etc.
City officials said the facility cannot accept any waste generated by a business, computers or other appliances, explosives, medical or radioactive waste, or tires.
March 31, 2010
One-alarm fire extinguished quickly
A one-alarm fire at a Northwest Austin duplex early Wednesday morning was extinguished quickly and no injuries were reported, according to an Austin Fire Department official.
The fire broke out sometime close to 4:10 a.m. in the bedroom of a duplex located at 11607 Sierra Nevada, which is located close to the intersections of Jollyville and Duval roads, said Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck.
Eight units responded to the fire, which was extinguished within 15 minutes, he said.
Three individuals may be displaced as a result of the fire, however, Buck said.
March 28, 2010
Unattended candle causes $20,000 in damage
Austin fire officials said today a fire caused by an unattended candle in a child’s room caused about $20,000 of damage. No one was injured in the fire.
Officials with the fire department said they responded to a fire in the 6600 block of Argentia Road in Northwest Hills about 5 a.m. today. The blaze did not spread to other areas of the house, according to the department.
The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes of firefighters responding, officials said.
March 24, 2010
North Austin house fire extinguished quickly
UPDATE: The cause of a one-alarm fire at a North Austin home was ruled accidental, causing $30,000 in damage, according to an Austin Fire Department official.
An adult and two children were displaced as a result of the fire but are being assisted by the Red Cross and the Austin Police Department’s victim services.
The fire was confined to one bedroom of the home.
EARLIER: A one-alarm fire at a North Austin home was quickly extinguished this morning after several firefighters responded to the call, according to a Austin Fire Department official Wednesday.
The fire, located in the 9500 block of Stonebridge Drive, which is close to the intersections of West Rundberg Lane and North Lamar Boulevard, was in the bedroom and “quickly extinguished by first arriving crews,” the official said.
No injuries were reported.
March 15, 2010
Fire in Oak Hill destroys mobile home
A 40-year-old man was critically injured this afternoon when a fire consumed his mobile home in Oak Hill, fire officials said Monday.
The man lived alone in the 6200 block of Blue Stem Trail in Southwest Austin. When fire fighters arrived about 6 p.m., they found him attempting to push a couch that was on fire outside of the home, said Austin fire Capt. Marc Saenz.
Saenz said the man was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge with burns and respiratory problems.
The fire caused about $40,000 in damage, and investigators are still at the scene to determine what caused the fire.
North Austin apartment fire displaces 30 people
MARCH 15 UPDATE
The Austin Fire Department has ruled that the fire at the Anderson Oaks Apartments on March 4 was set accidentally but it could not be determined what caused the accident.
12:59 03/15/10
UPDATE 3:45 P.M.: The Red Cross released a statement reporting that the fire this morning damaged 24 units and displaced approximately 35 people. Smoke and small fires were still evident at 7 a.m. this morning. The Red Cross disaster volunteers responded to the fire with food, beverages, and air mattresses for victims of the blaze and firefighters. The organization also worked with Anderson Oaks management to help displaced residents find lodging for the night.
EARLIER: An early morning, two-alarm fire damaged 26 units in a North Austin apartment building and displaced 30 people, according to an Austin Fire Department spokesman.
The fire, at the Anderson Oaks Apartments at 9219 Anderson Mill Road, broke out about 2:15 this morning, and 60 firefighters from the Austin and Jollyvile fire departments were called to the scene, Austin Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said.
Firefighters gained control of the fire just before 4 a.m., but some smoldering spots remain to be fully extinguished, he said.
No injuries were reported, and while some people were evaluated for smoke inhalation, no one was taken to the hospital, Buck said. Damage from the fire was estimated at $2.6 million.
Heather Pulido, a 33-year-old hair dresser who lives at the apartment with her husband and two children, ages 4 and 12, said she woke up about 2:15 to people yelling “Fire!”
Pulido said she left her corner apartment with her family and saw all three levels of the building engulfed in flames and thick black smoke.
Pulido said she lost almost everything in the blaze.
“I keep thinking I’m going to wake up,” said Pulido, whose 4-year-old daughter was nearby wrapped in a Red Cross blanket. “I’m thinking about the pictures, the crochets I made. The things you can’t replace.”
Jim Davis, 68, an unemployed technical writer, said he moved into his bottom-floor apartment about two weeks ago. “I got here just in time,” he said Thursday morning.
He said he woke up to people screaming and had just enough time to grab his laptop computer and his hard drive before running out the door. He said firefighters arrived on the scene quickly.
By 8 a.m., several firefighters and a fire investigator were on the scene. Some residents were standing around looking at the damage while others were in the manager’s office, where the Red Cross had brought coffee and doughnuts. A sign on the door was asking for donations for the affected residents.
No nearby businesses were affected, including nearby Deer Park Middle School and Live Oak Elementary, Buck said. Both schools are operating as normal today, Round Rock school officials said.
Buck said nearby lanes of Anderson Mill Road and Pond Springs were shut down because of the fire and reopened by 6:30 a.m.
March 11, 2010
North Austin residential fire out
Austin firefighters quickly extinguished a one-alarm fire this morning at a home 1204 W. St. Johns Ave. in North Austin, officials said.
Four firefighting units were paged to the scene in the Crestview neighborhood around 9:30 a.m., but the blaze was extinguished within 10 minutes, a spokeswoman with the fire department said.
Three people were displaced by the fire at the 800-square-foot house, officials said, but there were no reports of injuries. Officials said the blaze was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. Damage was estimated at $125,000.
Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
March 10, 2010
One-alarm fire at Southeast Austin home
Fire crews responded overnight to a one-alarm fire in the 10200 block of Shivley Lane in Southeast Austin, according to emergency pages.
The fire broke out around 3 a.m. at the home, located near the intersection of U.S. 183 and Clinger Road.
An Austin Fire Department spokeswoman did not have more information on the fire, referring calls to Emergency Service District No. 11, or ESD #11, which responded to the fire. However, subsequent calls to ESD 11 were not returned.
March 9, 2010
Another fire at Travis House
The Austin Fire Department responded overnight to a fire at the former Travis House at 405 West 18th Street close to Guadalupe Street, near the University of Texas campus.
It was the second fire at the 65-year-old building in nearly a year, with the previous one in January 2009.
The building, which is vacant, was at the center of a City of Austin fight last year on whether it should be zoned a historic landmark site, or torn down. Several neighbors, and the owner of the site, Travis Hotel Group LLC, filed protests against the historic zoning move.
In November, the Austin City Council voted down the historic zoning move, and entered into an agreement with Travis Hotel Group to improve the lot if the building was demolished, according to Austin Historic Preservation officer Steve Sadowsky. The agreement includes provisions on widening the surrounding sidewalks, and putting up a commemorative marker tied to the building’s history with the Young Women’s Christian Association, or the YWCA.
Dallas businessman Michael Tregoning, who was listed as manager of the Travis Hotel Group on city filings, declined comment Tuesday.
The building was built as a 30-unit apartment in 1945, then converted to the Hotel Guadalupe and later used by the YWCA for the next 30 years, according to documents from the Historic Landmark Commission.
In the mid-1990s, the YWCA left to a new location, and the building was used briefly as a halfway house. Subsequently it had several tenants before being left vacant in more recent years and drawing transients. It has also been used by the Austin Fire Department for training exercises, said Austin Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said.
The last fire occurred at the building Jan. 23, 2009, with multiple fires on each floor of the three-story building that injured one man and damaged a nearby parked vehicle.
Buck estimated that the fire caused minimal damage because there was mostly trash inside. Several windows were broken to ventilate smoke outside, he said.
Although the building has drawn transients in the past, firefighters found no evidence of anyone staying there last night, Buck said.
The cause of the fire, which went to two alarms, remains undetermined. Most of the damage was to the first-floor hallway, but fire did rise to the second and third floors through an open stairway. Crews remained on the scene for several hours to check for hot spots.
Sixty firefighters responded after receiving a call about smoke at the building about 4 a.m., Buck said.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury, according to the Fire Department, but was able to return to duty. By 6 a.m., the fire was mostly under control and nearly extinguished by 7 a.m.
There were no other reports of injuries.
Guadalupe Street had been blocked from Martin Luther King Blvd to 16th Street but has since reopened, police said.
February 26, 2010
Overnight fire at Northeast home out
An overnight fire at a Northeast Austin residential address began in a heater closet and spread into the the attic of the vacant home, Austin Fire Department Capt. Marc Saenz said Friday.
The home was located at 11303 January Drive, close to the intersection of East Braker Lane and Dessau Road.
The vacant home suffered $75,000 in damage and nine units responded to the fire, the spokeswoman said.
Fire fighters were paged to the scene shortly before 12:30 a.m., and reported it was a heavy fire, according to emergency pages to the scene.
No injuries were reported.
February 24, 2010
Man injured in Killeen house fire
FROM THE KILLEEN FIRE DEPARTMENT:
On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, at approximately 6:40 am, the Killeen Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 1700 block of N. 18th St. Firefighters arrived on scene and observed fire venting from a rear window. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire which was contained to a rear bedroom. While performing a search of the house, firefighters located the body of an unidentified male, lying on the kitchen floor near the back door. Firefighters removed and began treating the victim. The victim was later transported by Killeen FD EMS to an area hospital where he was listed in stable, but serious condition. No other injuries were reported. The fire is being investigated by the Killeen Fire Marshal’s Office.
Fire in Southwest Austin under control, officials say
UPDATE: Any remaining hot spots tied to an early morning fire at a small metal warehouse in Southwest Austin have been extinguished, according to a spokeswoman for the Travis County Emergency Services District No. 3.
There are no reports of any injuries, but a handful of emergency personnel remain on scene to ensure no new fires break out at the site, located at a residential address.
EARLIER: A fire in Southwest Austin is under control after firefighters from Oak Hill and West Lake Hills fought the blaze early this morning, a spokeswoman for the Oak Hill Fire Department said.
Twelve units were still out at the scene in the 8700 block of U.S. 290, close to the Y in Oak Hill, taking care of remaining hot spots more than two hours after the fire broke out, the spokeswoman said.
The fire apparently began at the site, a metal warehouse located at a private address close to nearby residences and businesses in that area, she said.
It was first reported at about 6 this morning, the spokeswoman said.
There were no injuries reported, she said.
February 22, 2010
Forty workers evacuated by fire at Manor business
A Manor manufacturing firm was evacuated Monday morning following a report of a one-alarm fire there, according to an Austin Fire Department spokeswoman.
The firm’s 40 employees were evacuated, but there were no reports of any injuries at the business, called Humanetics.
Humanetics’ Manor facility is located at 12918 Beltex Road, just off U.S. 290 in Manor.
February 18, 2010
Burned house, plane crash linked to same person
Fire crews responded this morning to a fire at the home of a person who owned a plane that crashed into a Northwest Austin office building.
The house, in the 1800 block of Dapplegrey Lane close to Parmer Lane and Metric Boulevard, was owned by Andrew Joseph Stack, records show.
There were no injuries in the blaze, and the house is total loss, officials said.
Neighbors said they heard a loud noise that sounded like a car crash at about 9:15 a.m. and soon saw flames coming from house.
Neighbor Elbert Hutchins said he ran to the house while calling 911 and saw flames coming out of an upstairs window. Soon he saw a woman and a girl drive up in a car.
Neighbors believe that was Stack’s wife and daughter, who is about 12 years old.
The two are now believed to be in a neighbor’s house being assisted by the Red Cross. When reporters went to the door, an FBI agent answered.
A Red Cross spokewoman would only say they are assisting two people who are “remarkably calm, clearly distraught.” She said they are “physically fine.”
Dane Vick, whose home is behind Stack’s house, said he called 911 to report the house fire. He described it as an explosion. “I heard a humongous boom,” he said.
Vick said he went to the house and yelled, “Anyone in there. Everyone OK?”
“There was no movement,” he said.
He described the neighborhood as being made up of professionals and families.
Joseph Strazza, 22-year-old contractor, said he was driving down Metric Boulevard when he saw smoke coming out of the eaves of the house.
He parked behind house, he said, then heard an explosion.
“It sounded like a small bomb going off,” Strazza said. He said the windows blew out and flames started coming out of the roof.
Strazza said he then saw a man running out of house with little girl in his arms. Fire crews arrived a short time later, Strazza said.
Stack’s home was a two-story brick home with two-car garage on a tree-lined street. Officials still have the street cordoned off. The house was gutted by the fire.
Photos: Crews respond to North Austin house fire
Small fire reported at Georgetown nursing home
From the Georgetown Police Department:
On Wednesday night around 7:40 p.m. Georgetown Police and Fire responded to a reported fire at the River Haven Nursing Home at 903 River Haven Dr. Employees of the nursing home called 9-1-1 to report that smoke was coming out of the vents and the building was full of smoke. Employees evacuated patients from two wings of the nursing home into the cafeteria. It was discovered that an exhaust fan in one of the public restrooms had shorted out and started a small fire. An employee of the home reportedly put out the fire before the fire department arrived. The Georgetown Fire Department investigated further to determine if the fire had spread and found that it had not. The smoke was cleared out of the facility and the patients were returned to their rooms. One employee was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation for treatment. No patients were known to be injured before fire and police left the scene.
January 5, 2010
Apartment fire in Northeast Austin
UPDATE AT 5:26 p.m.:
The fire at the Capitol Village Apartments was quickly knocked down and was confined to one apartment, fire officials said.
The occupants were not home at the time of the fire, but two dogs were found dead inside.
Nine residents were displaced from three apartments. They are being assisted by apartment management and Red Cross.
Fire officials said the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction in central heating unit. The damage is estimated at $150,000.
EARLIER:
The Austin Fire Department is reporting that heavy smoke is coming from the first floor apartment of a two-story complex in the 6800 block of U.S. 290 East.
The fire is still being ranked as a one-alarm fire, the lowest possible by the department. Officials did not know if anyone was in the apartment or if anyone was injured.
Fire officials said many phone calls had been made concerning the fire because of the large amount of smoke. Units are on scene, trying to knock down the fire.
January 2, 2010
Two fires damage apartment complexes
Fires damaged two Austin apartment complexes today.
About 8:30 p.m., a fire broke out at the Research Pointe Apartments at 8220 Research Boulevard in North Austin. It heavily damaged one unit and caused minor smoke damage to four others, Austin Fire Department battalion commander Palmer Buck said.
One person suffered a minor burn and a dog died in the fire. Because electricity was turned off to the complex, 20 people were displaced overnight.
According to AFD, the fire’s cause was an electrical short. An estimated $80,000 structural damage and $20,000 loss in contents were reported.
Around 2:30 p.m. today, a malfunctioning boiler at the Candlewick Apartments in Southeast Austin caused a fire that damaged a leasing office and a laundry room, and caused smoke damage to four vacant apartments that were under renovation.
No one was injured. That fire caused about $205,000 in damage.
December 28, 2009
Firefighters on scene of fire in East Austin
Austin Fire Department officials say firefighters are on the scene of a conflagration at 1011 Springdale Road, between Airport Boulevard and Goodwin Avenue.
UPDATE: Officials say the conflagration is actually a small brush fire that spread to a shed containing tires. The burning tires are producing the heavy black smoke, officials said, adding that the fire is now mostly contained.
December 26, 2009
Fire officials investigate cause of structure fire
Austin fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire at an abandoned 800 square foot home on property that belongs to the North Austin Muslim Community Center in the 11900 block of North Lamar Boulevard.
Palmer Buck, a spokesman for the Austin Fire Department, said that the fire started around 11:43 a.m. No one was inside the building at the time, he said. Officials extinguished the fire by 12 p.m.
The property that the house sits on is owned by the community center and is often used for overflow parking. Buck said the house was completely destroyed and the fire damage is estimated to be about $35,800.
December 25, 2009
Northwest Austin home destroyed by fire
A family of four lost their home this morning when the house in the 9400 block of Arch Hill Circle and all of their belongings, including their Christmas gifts, were consumed by fire, Austin Fire Department officials said.
Palmer Buck, a spokesman for the fire department, said smoke detectors woke the family at 4:41 a.m. Two adults and two children made it out safely, Buck said. There were no injuries, and the family told fire officials that they will stay with relatives.
Buck said that the cause of the fire had not yet been determined. He said there was $200,000 in structural damage and $100,000 worth of damage to the family’s possessions.
December 8, 2009
Man rescued after fall from Mount Bonnell
Update: At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday the 29-year-old man who fell from Mount Bonnell earlier in the evening was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge with unspecified injuries, said Austin Fire Department Division Chief Dawn Clopton.
Earlier: Austin firefighters and paramedics have been working this evening to rescue a 29-year-old man who fell from the top of Mount Bonnell in West Austin, according to Austin Fire Department Division Chief Dawn Clopton.
Clopton did not know what caused the man, who was not identified, to fall, but she said he plunged about 150 feet from the overlook area at about 8:05 p.m.
She said the man’s injuries are unclear and rescuers have been working to secure him in a basket so he can be lifted to safety. They are going to use a rope and pulley system to lift the basket.
“He fell a long way, probably hit a few things along the way,” she said at about 10:20 p.m. “We are hoping to get him up soon for a quick ride to the hospital.”
Second victim in Saturday fire identified
Austin police have identified a second victim of a fire Saturday at a South Austin apartment as Norma Gene McDavid, 62.
Police identified McDavid from fingerprints taken from the victim, according to Cpl. Scott Perry. Police offered no further information about the woman.
The bodies of McDavid and her son, Brent Ray McDavid, 32, were found in an apartment after firefighters knocked down a fire that started about 6:30 p.m. Saturday in a small complex at 5701 Cougar Drive.
Austin homicide detectives today continued to search for witnesses to the fire and for a man witnesses saw leaving the McDavid apartment just before the fire was reported.
Previous story: Police looking for person seen leaving scene of fatal fire
December 7, 2009
Police looking for person seen leaving scene of fatal fire
Police are looking for a man who was seen leaving an Austin apartment building Saturday after the start of a fire that left two people dead.
Homicide Sgt. Hector Reveles said the man, described as a 5-foot, 9-inch male who is either bald or has close-shaved hair, left the apartment on Cougar Drive before Austin firefighters arrived.
When asked whether the man is believed to be responsible for setting the fire, Reveles said: “It’s premature to suggest that.”
Reveles said fire officials have sent items that were taken from the apartment to a state laboratory in the hopes of determining the cause of the blaze. He said the results of those tests are expected to be completed in about two weeks.
He said police did not want to wait to determine whether arson was the cause before tracking down all possible witnesses.
Reveles said that homicide detectives investigate all unnatural deaths in Austin and warned against drawing conclusions about their involvement in the investigation.
Emergency officials received reports of a fire at the small two-story apartment building at 5701 Cougar Drive, just south of Stassney Lane, on Saturday at about 6:45 p.m., fire officials have said.
One man who lived in the building said Saturday that only two of the four apartments were occupied.
One of those killed in the blaze, police said Monday, was 32-year-old Brent Ray McDavid. The other person has not been identified.
In addition to the man seen leaving the apartments before the arrival of firefighters, police are looking for two males seen in a white vehicle that was at the residence earlier in the evening, Reveles said. One of those males was wearing a yellow bandana on his head, Reveles said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Austin police homicide tip line at (512) 477-3588.
