Wildfire near SH 71 in Bastrop County 50% contained as of Wednesday morning

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas — The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office said several agencies are on the scene of a 100-acre wildfire.

The fire – now named the Powder Keg Pine fire – is in the vicinity of State Highway 71 and Harmon Road. Crews are working to get the fire under control.

The Austin Fire Department and Travis County ESDs called in multiple units to assist in containing the wildfire on Tuesday afternoon. As of Wednesday just before 6 a.m., the fire was 50% contained and had burned an estimated 100 acres. 

On Tuesday evening, Texas A&M Forest Service said forward progression had been stopped. Aircraft were making beneficial drops, while crews on the ground were working to protect structures and construct a fire line with dozers. As of 7:50 p.m. Tuesday, a dozer line was finished around the entirety of the fire.

The forest service said just before 6 a.m. Wednesday that dozers continued to make improvements to the containment line overnight, and firefighters patrolled and mitigated hot spots near the fire perimeter.

KVUE spoke with the owner of Freedom Towing and her nephew, Evin Malaer, who was helping move vehicles from the business to protect it from the wildfire.  

“Everybody is pretty is stressed out at this time,” Malaer said. “It’s a pretty stressful time.”

The family has owned the business on Harmon Road, one of the areas temporarily evacuated due to the fire, for six years. 

“It’s the same thing we went through in 2011,” Malaer said. “Everybody’s packed up. Everybody’s freaking out. People are losing their homes, people are losing their dogs, their livestock. It’s rough on everybody. So all we can do is be here to help out and try to give a hand.”

KVUE also spoke with a resident who lives in the Bastrop Hill community. She said in 2011, her home burned down. Now the Powder Keg Pines wildfire is literally in her yard. She was able to evacuate at least two of her horses, which made it through the Bastrop County Complex wildfire in 2011.

While on the scene at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, flames could be seen nearing two homes on SH 71 and almost touching the highway. In the area is the Texas State Riffle Association, which neighbors said is filled with ammunition.

Officials were asking those who live in the area between Harmon Road and Pine Hill Loop to evacuate the area. As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, those evacuation orders were lifted. 

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) had closed down westbound Highway 71 at FM 153 near Smithville because of the fire in the area. That has now reopened. Eastbound lanes were not impacted by this fire.

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative said crews cut the power lines in the area near the fire along SH 71. Bastrop County emergency operations asked Bluebonnet to cut the power “for the safety of first responders and residents evacuating their homes and businesses.” Bluebonnet’s outage map shows the areas that are impacted.

Emergency management reported no injuries and no damage to any homes or structures in the area.

Anyone who has been impacted by the fire can contact the hotline at 512-303-4300.

Central Texas is under a series of burn bans that prohibit or restrict outdoor burning for public safety:

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