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Gov. Abbott declares wildfire disaster for Medina County Das Goat fire
Helicopters pour water on the area south of Medina Lake near the city of Mico on Sunday, March 27. Residents of that lakeside town were ordered to evacuate.
Ronald Cortes / ContributorAs of the morning of Monday, March 28, the Das Goat Fire in Medina County has grown over 1,000 acres as more evacuation orders are put in place. The wildfire was burning 1,092 acres and was 50% contained as of Sunday, March 27, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference in Medina County on Sunday, declaring a wildfire disaster.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared the wildfire a disaster on Sunday.
Courtesy of the Office of Gov. Greg AbbottAbbott said three homes had been destroyed as of Sunday and 37 other homes were in danger. There were 19 state agencies and over 200 firefighters trying contain the fire. Helicopters could be seen over the weekend dumping water over the fire.
“As we continue to address fire activity, I encourage Texans to remain weather-aware and continue to heed the guidance from local officials to keep their loved ones safe,” Abbott said.
The fire had spread to over 1,000 acres north stopping at the shores of Diversion Lake, a 3-mile-long reservoir south of Medina Lake.
Courtesy of the Texas A&M Forest ServiceThe wildfire is believed to have began on Friday, March 25 from a vehicle that caught fire, KSAT reports. It spread to about 950 acres the afternoon of Saturday, March 26, when the residents of the Medina Lake town, Mico, were ordered to evacuate.
The voluntary evacuations for Summit Ridge, Bear Springs Ranch, Ranchland Oaks, Medina Oaks, and Laurel Canyon subdivisions were called off later that Saturday by the Medina County Office of Emergency Management. Medina County officials warn that evacuation orders could be reinstated as the fire continues.
The original evacuation shelter was set at Medina Valley ISD’s Loma Alta Middle School on the Far Westside. The shelter was later switched to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Helotes, the district posted to Facebook on Sunday.
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