15-03-2025
Austin weather: Wildfire danger for most of Central Texas
The Brief
Most of Texas is under a Red Flag Warning on March 14
A homeless encampment in East Austin was shut down because it was on 37 acres of high-wildfire-risk land
Fire risk is something Austin City Council members are scheduled to discuss soon
AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin has cleared out a homeless encampment because of its high fire risk.
This comes as most of Texas is under a Red Flag Warning on March 14.
The Red Flag Warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly.
What they're saying
The City of Austin said the homeless encampment at Ben White Boulevard and Montopolis Drive sits on 37 acres of high-wildfire-risk land, and if a fire were to spark, it could disrupt essential services nearby, like a water storage and pump facility, a large healthcare center, and a psychiatric emergency facility.
Just last year, the Austin Fire Department responded to 35 fire-related calls at the homeless encampment.
The City's Homeless Strategy Office said the site is now closed and 32 people have been relocated to shelters. This comes just as Texas A&M Forest Service said outdoor activity that could cause a flame should be avoided.
"Avoiding those kinds of activities for today or until conditions improve, really, because winds are going to be so high, embers can travel a lot," Texas A&M Forest Service Heather Gonzales said.
Pflugerville Fire Department Assistant Chief Daniel Berger said 90% of wildfires are human-related, so don't drag chains on trailers, be mindful where you park, not in dry grass, and be careful discarding cigarette buds.
"A lot of the state still has the freeze-cured grasses from the winter and so until we can get some significant precipitation to help facilitate the green up of those grasses, we might see some higher fire potential," Gonzales said.
Dig deeper
Most of the counties in Texas have issued burn bans, including in Blanco, Lampasas, Bell, Milam, and Llano Counties.
"The reality is everybody here is at risk," Chief Berger said.
Fire risk is something Austin City Council members are scheduled to discuss soon. Austin's current wildfire risk map was drawn in 2015. The new proposed risk map includes a significantly larger area of land.
These designations impact construction requirements in those areas.
On Thursday, March 13, the Texas A&M Forest Service responded to three new wildfires burning across the state, in San Saba, Hidalgo, and Upshur Counties.
On Friday, March 14, the Texas A&M Forest Service responded to three more new wildfires burning across the state, in Roberts, Gray, and Cass Counties.
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis
