Update JAN 31: Wimberley Grass Fire Contained
At 4 p.m., the fire was reported to be moving toward the Wimberley Springs Subdivision.
UPDATE Jan. 31: The grass fire near Wimberley is now considered 100 percent contained. A reconnaissance flyover by STAR Flight Wednesday morning showed no areas of concern. Fire Departments are still on the scene to continue to extinguish roots and stumps that are still smoldering.
The Fire Marshal has not yet released a cause of the fire.
UPDATE 8:00 p.m.: The approximately 750-acre grass fire that began earlier today near Wimberley is estimated to be 90 percent contained as of 8 p.m. January 30. Area Fire Department personnel with brush trucks will be working at the scene overnight. The situation will be reassessed in the morning to determine if assistance from the Texas Forest Service air operations is needed again. Persons who were asked to leave their homes as a precaution have been allowed to return home, and no structures have been damaged by the fire.
UPDATE: The Hays County Emergency Coordinator has announced that the Wimberley brush fire are not contained after all. The flames have now burned 750 acres of land in the area. A Texas A&M Forest Service air tanker is making its way from Abiliene to help local fire departments fight the flames. Some residents in the Ledgerock area have been evacuated as a precaution.
Fire Departments from throughout Hays County have responded to a major grass fire at FM 2325 and Valley Springs Road near Wimberley, and the Texas Forest Service is standing by to assist with an air tanker.
Some houses have been evacuated as a precaution and those residents are welcome at the Wimberley Community Center. There are no known burned structures at this time.
Hays County Director of Emergency Services Kharley Smith said that the fire is in a heavily wooded and brushy area with no road access, and fire department equipment may not able to get to the head of the fire.
“A Forest Service tanker is standing by to begin water drops at the head of the fire when that location is determined,” Smith said. “STAR Flight is assisting by surveying the area and will report back as to an estimate of the size. A rough estimate from the ground indicates the fire could be in excess of 750 acres. We’ll know more when Starflight is able to finish its survey of the area,” Smith said.
Smith is urging motorists to avoid the area.
Wimberley Fire Department is responding to multiple brush fires in the FM 2325 and Valley Spring Road area.
According to Hays County, the fires started around 2 p.m. STAR Flight was called out to help because of the risk to nearby homes in the path of the flames. Officials also requested help from the Texas A&M Forest Service due to the size of the fire.
At 4 p.m., the fire was reported to be moving toward the Wimberley Springs Subdivision.
According to Hays County Constable Officials, while a small part of the fire is still burning in the Blanco area, the fire has been contained. Officials reported the fire started across from the Wimberley ISD sports field.
