Wildfires continue to rage across Central Texas

By: Melanie Yoes

BASTROP, Texas - Several wildfires continue to burn uncontained across much of the Central Texas area, destroying hundreds of homes and thousands of acres located in their paths.

The largest of these fires, located in Bastrop County 40 miles east of San Marcos, flared up Sunday after high winds and months of below-average rainfall in the area provided ideal conditions for the wildfire to spread rapidly. Hundreds of residents in the Bastrop area have been forced to evacuate their homes as the flames reached residential areas outside the town.

“My wife called me Monday and told me we had been given the order to evacuate,” said Monte Land, a retired Lower Colorado River Authority employee who lives outside Bastrop. “We spent the rest of the day hauling out our horses and most of our pets. A couple of our dogs are still missing because the sirens scared them away from the house,” Land added.

Those who are missing pets in the areas affected by the fires in Bastrop County are urged to contact Bastrop Animal Control and provide them with their home addresses so officers can round up the animals and provide them with food and water.

Land said it was unclear whether his home had been destroyed in the fire, and has received little information about the condition of his neighborhood as crews continue to battle the flames raging in the area.

“As of Tuesday morning we had a visual of the house and it was still standing, but who knows what’s happened since then,” he said. “We’re just keeping our fingers crossed.”
Hundreds of residents in the area have not been as fortunate.

“I lost everything. My house burned to the ground,” said Jason Miller, whose father, a firefighter, broke the news to him. “I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, though, because I still have my job and a place to stay and a lot of people around here don’t,” said Miller, who is staying with relatives in a nearby town not affected by the wildfires.

Fires also continue to burn in the Leander and Steiner Ranch areas north of Austin, including one that is being investigated as a suspected arson.

Several road closures in the Central Texas area and increased traffic from fire and rescue crews and evacuees may make the drive more difficult for Texas State students commuting from areas north and east of San Marcos, and they are encouraged to leave early to make up for any delays they might experience. Information about Hays County and San Marcos road conditions and closures can be found on the city of San Marcos website, http://www.sanmarcostx.gov/.

Texas State students and their families affected by the wildfires and need to make their situation known to the university should contact the Dean of Students office at 512-245-2124.

During 2011 alone, wildfires in Texas have burned more than 3.5 million acres across the state, an area roughly the size of Connecticut, according to a statement from Governor Rick Perry, who flew to Bastrop from North Carolina Tuesday to address the fires.

“I have seen a lot of big fires in my life, and this one is as mean-looking as any I’ve ever seen, partly because it is so close to this city [Bastrop],” Perry said at the press conference Tuesday.

As of Wednesday, five deaths have also been attributed to the wildfires in Central Texas by authorities, including an 18-month-old infant and a City of Austin employee.

Texas State students who wish make a monetary donation in support of the victims of the wildfires can do so online through the Salvation Army at http://www.salvationarmy.org/ and the Central Texas Red Cross at http://www.centex.redcross.org/.

Donation drives will also be held at seven area Wal-Mart stores on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Items needed include medical supplies, toiletries, bed linens and bottled water.