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Rolling Pines wildfire now 100 percent contained after burning 812 acres
Update, 7:30 p.m. January 24: Texas A&M Forest Service reports the Rolling Pines wildfire in Bastrop County is 812 acres and is now 100 percent contained. Officials say the area received a good amount of rain that helped in firefighting efforts. Crews will continue to monitor the fire area and begin fireline rehab Tuesday.
Update, 12:45 p.m., January 19: Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management said the wildfire has now reached 783 acres and is 30 percent contained.
Fireline leadership gave an operational briefing this morning and reported good progress made overnight with both bulldozer-created containment line and patrol and mop-up operations using engine crews.
Update, 7:13 p.m. Governor Greg Abbott released a statement about the wildfire saying: “The State of Texas has deployed numerous resources to assist local officials as they combat the Rolling Pines fire in Bastrop County. Texas A&M Forest Service has deployed three Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System strike teams which include approximately 75 firefighters.”
Abbott went on to say several other Texas resources are responding to meet medical needs and provide personnel support.
“The Texas Military Department has deployed a UH60 helicopter with a fire suppression water bucket and has additional aircraft on standby. We will continue to monitor the situation in Bastrop County and are ready to deploy additional state resources as needed to contain this wildfire and keep Texans safe,” said Abbott.
Update, 6:47 p.m.: The Texas A&M Forest Service is reporting that the fire has spread to 500 acres and is 10 percent contained.
Original post below.
The Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management has started to evacuate residents due to a nearby wildfire that started Tuesday afternoon at 100 Park Road. Residents along Pine Tree Loop, Linda Lane and Lisa Lane are being asked to leave the area as of 3:20 p.m., according to a Facebook post from Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management.
The wildfire has caused a road closure East SH 21 South Shore Lake Bastrop and East SH21 at 1441. Bastrop County stated at 4:05 p.m. the fire is moving along Power Plant Road towards South Shore Lake Bastrop. Officials are asking others to avoid the area at this time.
The Texas A&M Forest Service posted on Twitter it is responding to the request for assistance in Bastrop County. The fire is an estimated 300 acres and zero percent contained, according to an updated tweet at 3:50 p.m.
The organization stated the fire is currently very active and aviation resources have been ordered to assist. Aircraft will be making water and retardant drops to help slow the spread of the fire and assist in protecting structures in the area, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department told the Austin American-Statesman it had a large crew of trained and certified wildland firefighters on the ground as well as three “burn boss’s with a large culmination of prescribed fire experience in our Lost Pines ecosystem and tens of years of research, education and training.”
In September 2011, high winds downed a power line, setting fire to the area and burning for weeks before it was fully extinguished. Bastrop is about 30 miles east of Austin.
This is a developing story.