700-acre wildfire in Bastrop County now 40% contained

BASTROP, Texas — A five-acre wildfire in Bastrop County has grown to 700 acres, according to the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M Forest Service. It is around 40% contained as of Saturday evening with forward progression currently stopped.

The Pine Pond fire was first reported Thursday afternoon just before 3 p.m. in the 500 block of Old Antioch Road. At first report, the fire was moving slowly south-southeast from its origin point. The fire has since shifted westward, and a rapid wind shift caused erratic fire behavior that helped spark its progression.

Neighborhood resident Carla Grube said they were scared that this fire could be like the fires in 2011 and 2017.

“We didn’t leave this time, but the other two times we actually had to leave. One time we had to leave actually for almost a week, and didn’t know if our house was gone or what,” said Grube.

Grube stayed home while 10 homes were evacuated, but the uncertainty was taxing.

“It was scary. It was scary because we weren’t sure if we were going to have to evacuate, we have cats and chickens and dogs,” she said.

Officials provided an update Friday morning:

Several locations were asked to evacuate on Thursday, but all evacuations have been lifted as of Friday morning. The following locations were evacuated:

• 105 Turkey Trot Lane 
• 125 Turkey Trot Lane
• 135 Turkey Trot Lane
• 115 Turkey Roost Lane
• 231 Old Antioch Road
• 280 Old Antioch Road
• 281 Old Antioch Road 
• 297 Old Antioch Road
• 315 Old Antioch Road
• Rolling Pines Drive
• East Broken Tree Lane
• Agget Road
• Tall Pines Road

Anyone who needs help with lodging or livestock is asked to call 512-521-3001.

An operations section chief from Texas A&M Forest Service said on Friday that fire behavior is anticipated to pick up. He also said there is now an anchor point where the fire started, and the south end of the fire “is looking very good” as of Friday morning. 

The smoke column is expected to grow.

Several aircraft mobilized by the Texas A&M Forest Service are responding to the fire, including one very large air tanker, one large air tanker, three single-engine air tankers, two Blackhawks and three helicopters.

Responding agencies include the Heart of the Pines Volunteer Fire Department (VFD), the Smithville VFD, Bastrop County Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 2, Bastrop Fire Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas A&M Forest Service including air assets.  

Williamson County Emergency Services also reported another fire southeast of Thrall on Friday. Two homes were evacuated with multiple resources responding.

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