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Evacuations underway in Bastrop due to 150-acre wildfire
Officials say the fire started in relation to a prescribed burn.
BASTROP, Texas — Officials are evacuating a street in Bastrop County as first responders work to get a massive wildfire fire under control Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management, the wildfire is at 100 Park Road 1A in Bastrop. Officials are evacuating those on Pine Hill Drive.
Some road closures have also been implemented at SH 21 at the south shore of Lake Bastrop and E. SH 21 at FM 1441.
The Texas A&M Forest Service said it is responding to a request for assistance with the fire, which the forest service estimated is consuming 150 acres. They also reported the fire was not very contained at its first report. The forest service said the fire is “very active” and that aviation resources have been ordered to assist.
BCOEM confirmed that the wildfire started in relation to a prescribed burn at Bastrop State Park. The burn was set to be conducted Tuesday, Jan. 18, and possibly the next day as well. Park Road 1C from Harmon Road to Park Road 1A were closed for the prescribed burn.
The forest service said Tuesday presented an increased danger for wildfires due to warm, dry and windy conditions on the forecast. Since Friday, the forest service reports the department, along with local fire departments, have responded to 97 wildfires that burned 7,460 acres of land around the state. Strong north winds and dry vegetation contributed to increased wildfire activity over the weekend, the forest service said.
Bastrop County has been home to a number of extreme fires over the past decade.
The Bastrop Complex fire of September 2011 at the time was the most destructive wildfire in state history. It burned through around 34,000 acres and destroyed approximately 1,700 homes and businesses. Two people died as a result of the fire.
The Hidden Pines Fire then occurred a few years later in October of 2015. About 4,600 acres were burned and 64 structures were destroyed.
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