Restoration work underway after Tuesday wildfire

SAN ANTONIO — Wednesday a small army of utility workers showed up in a still smoldering area south of Somerset where a wildfire raced through a rural neighborhood near Royal Oaks and Third streets Tuesday.

Power workers were methodically going house to house, where the homes were still standing, replacing power poles and lines lost to the wind-whipped fire.

Several neighbors expressed confusion and sadness over the random damage pattern left behind.

While some homes escaped unscathed, there were numerous other homes nearby that are nothing but smoking piles of rubble.

Ciro Lagunes said while his house is still standing, it sustained quite a bit of smoke damage after an exploding propane tank blew out many of his windows.

Surveying his charred yard, Lagunes said he lost seven vehicles, a boat, several barns and all of the equipment he uses to make a living as a welder.

Still, he said he is grateful that no one was at home at the time and nobody was injured in the fast-moving fire.

Road signs throughout the county remind residents that a burn ban is in effect in Atascosa County now.

No cause has been released for the blaze.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service said the threat will continue until the area sees some rainfall, since the forecast includes gusty winds and low humidity levels.

Click here to go to the NWS Fire Weather page for more information.