Active wildfire burns nearly 3,000 acres at Camp Bullis training area

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Several fire crews are working an active brush fire at JBSA Camp Bullis on Sunday afternoon.

Caroline Tien/Staff

A wildfire in a demolition training area at Joint Base Camp Bullis that started over the weekend has now burned close to 3,000 acres. The Texas A&M Forest Service reported Sunday, April 10, that the wildfire, referred to as the Training Area 23 fire, was 50% contained and had burned 2,803 acres. A wildfire in Medina County in late March only burned about 1,000 acres. 

The wildfire started on Saturday, April 9 as a training exercise was being conducted in the area. The origin of the fire is still being investigated, said Lt. Corp. Clemente Berrios with Joint Base San Antonio at a Sunday press conference.

Evacuations were ordered for residents north of Camp Bullis on Saturday. JBSA Deputy Fire Chief Scott Ridenour said at the Sunday press conference that the evacuation order had been called off, but asked all residents to continue to monitor the fire. As of Monday, April 11, no occupied structures or homes were destroyed by the fire, Ridenour said.

Fire crews continue to work the edges, Ridenour said, and aircraft are still being utilized to fight the fire. There an estimated 85 firefighters on combating the blaze, Ridenour said. 

He added that residents should continue to see smoke over the next several days because of the vegetation that did burn. Ridenour asked people with breathing issues living near the wildfire to stay indoors if possible. 

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