Officials say a wildfire spread inside a park in the central Texas state and there have been no reports of injuries after the fires scorched more than 1.2 square miles in the city of Bastrop.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for several areas surrounding the fire even though some residents have been allowed to return to their homes.
Texas A & M Forest Service spokesman Kari Hines said Wednesday that no homes were reported destroyed, some families had back inside their homes and warmer conditions with lower winds and higher humidity would help firefighters on Wednesday.
Bastrop County officials and local fire officials told reporters on Tuesday evening that though it was too soon to definitively determine the cause of the fire it was still likely linked to the proposed 150-hectare mandatory fire at Bastrop County State Park.
Director of Texas chapter of parks and wildlife, Carter Smith, said the cause of the fire wasn’t determined yet, but the fuse in the fire in Bastrop State Park is suspected.
Update: the #RollingPinesFire in Bastrop County remains an estimated 500 acres and 10% contained. The fire is holding along Power Plant Road and along SH21. Resources are patrolling residential areas and continue to build fireline. #txfire pic.twitter.com/9GhFXEw7Or
— Incident Information – Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) January 19, 2022
UPDATE: Bluebonnet was asked by Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management to de-energize power lines serving 348 members in an area along TX 21 to ensure the area is safe for emergency crews and residents; @BastropCntyOEM to provide updates on evacuation areas and more info. pic.twitter.com/CADg7i5ieQ
— Bluebonnet Electric (@BluebonnetCoop) January 19, 2022
