Latest news with #OnionCreekFire
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Onion Creek Fire 100% contained, officials say
The Brief The Onion Creek Fire has been contained. The fire started on Thursday. The cause of the fire has not been determined. HAYS COUNTY, Texas - The wildfire that started burning in Hays County earlier this week has been contained. What we know On Saturday morning, the Texas A&M Forest Service said that the Onion Creek Fire is 100 percent contained. The fire started late Thursday afternoon in the Ruby Ranch area near Buda. The fire burned a total of 190 acres. No structures were damaged and no one was hurt, but some in the area were forced to evacuate for a time. All state resources that helped with the operation to put out the flames have been released. What we don't know So far, there is no word on the cause of the fire. The Source Information in this article comes from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Abbott announces federal assistance for Texas wildfires
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the state's request for fire management assistance grants for the Welder Fire in San Patricio County and the Duke Fire in Bexar County, according to a press release. 'The State of Texas and emergency responders continue to work around the clock to fight the wildfires in Texas and keep our communities safe,' Abbott said. 'FEMA's approval of Texas' grant assistance request for San Patricio and Bexar counties will provide crucial financial assistance to help ease the cost of fighting the Welder and Duke fires.' The approval of the grants allows the state to become eligible for 75% reimbursement from the federal government for costs related to the two wildfires, according to the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). TDEM said on Tuesday, that state emergency responders supported 41 new wildfires that started and burned more than 4,400 acres. In Central Texas, a total of 10 fires burned 486.5 acres in the KXAN viewing area. The Onion Creek Fire and the Klett Fire were still active fires as of Wednesday evening, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfires continue to burn in Hays and Blanco Counties
The Brief Wildfires continue to burn in Hays and Blanco Counties On March 4, there were two reported wildfires in Hays County. On March 5, another fire was reported Blanco County has one wildfire that is nearly contained TEXAS - Wildfires continue to burn in Hays and Blanco Counties. Officials caution the risk of new fires remains elevated, with the Hays County Judge issuing a burn ban late Wednesday. The backstory As of Wednesday, March 5, the Onion Creek Fire near Buda has burned an estimated 190 acres and is 80% contained. A new fire started Wednesday afternoon west of Wimberley off Ranch Road 2325. So far, five acres have burned, and the fire is 95% contained. In Blanco County, the Klett Fire has burned 101 acres and is 95% contained. It is off of US 290 west of Johnson City, and was also fueled by the wind. So far, there is no word on the causes of these fires. What they're saying After a scary few hours for residents in part of Hays County, the Texas A&M Forest reported Wednesday that they've made major progress in getting the Onion Creek Fire under control. "The crews worked late into the night. They continued conception of the fire line, and right now we are engaging in heavy mop up," said Laura Stevens, a public information officer with the Texas A&M Forest Service. "We're making sure active flames are extinguished." The fire started early Tuesday evening in the Ruby Ranch area off FM 967, with Hays County evacuating residents and businesses in the area. "We got a few texts saying that we needed to evacuate, so we went ahead and booked our guest some hotel rooms nearby and got then evacuated off the property," said Brad Burkart, general manager of the nearby Sage Hill Inn & Spa. Dozens of firefighters responded, with Travis County STAR Flight battling the flames from above, and Austin Fire Department wildfire crews called in as well. The weather did not help matters. "One of the challenges with this fire is the windy conditions," said Stevens. "And then also it is rocky hilly terrain." About 150 acres were burned, but no structures were damaged and no one was hurt. Those evacuated were given the all-clear to return. The remaining flames Wednesday were in a wooded area on a property belonging to Austin Water. "We are not expecting it to go beyond that footprint right now," said Stevens. What they're saying "Well, certainly the same weather that they're having, we're having," said Lt. Chris Dibrell, the Fire Adapted Communities coordinator for the Austin Fire Department's Wildfire Division. While Austin has avoided any major fires so far, AFD has been very busy—with 25 brush fire calls through Tuesday night. In fact, they've been bringing brush trucks to regular calls, just in case, and urge residents to do their part. "If you're grilling, dispose of the ashes. If you're smoking, be sure you discard your smoking materials appropriately," said Dibrell. Why you should care Austinites can get a Structure Ignition Zone Evaluation to help keep your home safe from wildfires. "We will come. We will schedule a meeting, meet you at the front door of your house. Walk around the outside of your home with you, and give you pointers and advice on how you can protect your home from embers," said Dibrell. Central Texans can sign up for alerts, so you know if a fire is close by, by clicking here. It's also a good idea to have a bag ready to go with essentials like food and clothing, in case you get evacuated. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak and previous coverage
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Central Texas crews respond to multiple fires, increased staffing due to high winds
BUDA, Texas (KXAN) — Multiple fires popped up across Central Texas on Tuesday. According to fire officials, strong winds contributed to the flames spreading. KXAN drove to multiple different fire scenes. We first dispatched to one in the Manor area. BLOG: Wildfires spark in Central Texas amid extreme fire danger The Austin Fire Department said it got the call around 2:30 p.m. about a fire next to a roadway near a neighborhood. AFD Division Chief Mark Bridges said the fire grew because of the strong winds. He said it burned 10 acres. 'Crews were showing up. They noticed some power lines going back and forth,' Bridges said. 'Our speculation on this one was some wires that crossed and sparks and embers dropped onto the grass below and the winds just whipped it up and turned it into what it was.' Luckily, Bridges said no structures were impacted and no one was hurt. This was just one of many other fires AFD responded to on Tuesday. 'We had multiple grass fires, that didn't get to this size, but we had units responding to those all across the city,' Bridges said. 'In preparation for today, we have upstaffed extra units. Other departments have upstaffed extra units.' BLOG: Power outages slam Central Texas due to high winds About 40 minutes south, there was another fire in the Buda and Kyle areas. Officials labeled it the Onion Creek Fire. As of Tuesday evening, Kyle Fire Department Spokesperson Andy Womble said it burned more than 170 acres. 'Today was the perfect conditions for a fire to start,' Womble said. 'We were prepared for something like this. We were expecting something like this – something to flare up.' Womble said the cause of this fire is still under investigation. She said Kyle FD and other crews in Hays County planned to work overnight and through the morning to monitor hot spots. No structures were impacted in that fire, but officials didn't have a containment number yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Onion Creek Fire: Crews respond to wildfire in Hays County
The Brief Multiple fire crews are responding to a wildfire in Hays County The Onion Creek Fire started March 4 HAYS COUNTY, Texas - Multiple fire crews are responding to a wildfire in Hays County. According to the Hays County Office of Emergency Services, as of Tuesday, March 4, around 7:41 p.m., the fire has burned about 174 acres and forward movement of the fire has stopped. What we know According to the Hays County Office of Emergency Services, the fire is north of Indian Hills Trail, east of Teal Lane, west of Story Drive, and north of Onion Creek (north of 150, south of 967, west of 2770). It is confined within the Onion Creek area. No structures were harmed, and all evacuations were lifted. The Hays County Sheriff's Office said another fire was reported in the 800 block of Engelke Road. Evacuations from this fire have been lifted. This is a developing story, refresh for the latest updates The Source Information from the Kyle Fire Department, the Hays County Office of Emergency Services, and the Hays County Sheriff's Office
