KYLE — Following a 400-acre wildfire that sparked on Saturday, Aug. 5 in San Marcos, agencies were called to assist in a wildfire (known as the Oak Hills Fire) in Kyle on Tuesday afternoon.
The Hays County Wildland Task Force was activated for a wildfire in the 290 block of Roland Lane, in between the Aztec Village and Oak Hill neighborhoods, in Kyle on Tuesday, Aug. 8. Crews were dispatched at 1:44 p.m. and every fire department in Hays County responded, as well as Travis County STAR Flight, according to Kyle Fire Department Community Outreach Specialist Andy Womble.
The fire, which has burned an a total of 15.5, is 100% contained as of 5:59 p.m. The acre size was originally estimated at 25 acres but the size was reduced to 15.5 as of Wednesday, Aug. 9, after better mapping, according to the city of Kyle.
“[It is] just clean up efforts at this point. Crews will be out there for a few hours watching spots and making sure nothing sparks,” Womble said.
The cause of the fire appears to be a roadside start, but it is still under investigation by the Hays County Fire Marshal’s Office, Womble said. She added that there were 50 structures threatened but all were saved.
Homes were evacuated out of an abundance of caution. The evacuation was lifted as of 4:07 p.m., according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Management, and roadways were reopened to residents as of 5:28 p.m. All temporary shelters that were held at Krug Activity Center, Kyle Public Library, First Baptist Church in Kyle and St. Anthony Marie de Claret Catholic Church are now closed.
Womble reminded residents that the county is still under a burn ban and that they should watch the weather carefully, especially with the multiple red flag days the area has been experiencing.
“A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger,” according to the National Weather Services.
For more information and updates, visit https://www.haysinformed.com/
This is a developing story. The Hays Free Press will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.