BUDA — Multiple crews are still working on battling a fire in the Onion Creek area of Buda, which started at around 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 4.
The fire in Buda is north of Indian Hills Trail, east of Teal Lane, west of Story Drive and north of Onion Creek — north of 150, south of 967 and west of 2770 — according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Management.
This comes after there were anticipated high winds of 25-35 mph sustained, with 45-55 mph gusts. A Red Flag Warning was also issued by the National Weather Service across all of South-Central Texas from 8 a.m. through 9 p.m. Tuesday and a Wind Advisory issued across all of South-Central Texas from 9 a.m. through 6 p.m. Tuesday.
And due to the forecasted high winds and dry conditions, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued an advisory temporary hold on outdoor burning through Friday, March 7. This this is not a formal burn ban, but these conditions greatly increase the potential for fires to spread rapidly, according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Management.
As of 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, the 150-acre fire is currently sitting at 75% containment, said Kiley Moran, Texas A&M Forest Service public information officer. This comes after the fire was sitting at an estimated 80 acres and 15% containment at 9:30 p.m. the night before.
“Our crews are going to keep on working today. They were out until very late last night, putting in the containment line … and they were at a point where they could leave it for a few hours. They got some rest and they’re back out this morning,” Moran said. “[The crews are] going to continue putting in line with bulldozers and we have a strike team of engines, as well as several local fire [agencies] out here helping out.”
There were evacuations issued on Tuesday because of the fire, but those were lifted later that evening.
Moran said that there are no structures threatened or damaged and no injuries have been reported in relation to the Onion Creek fire.
There was also another fire the same day that occurred near Engelke Road in Kyle led to evacuation notices being temporarily issued. The nearly 11-acre fire was contained at approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday, said Travis County Fire Rescue Fire Marshal Jeremy Trahan.
“The biggest concern for us was obviously the high winds. We were tracking close to 40 mile per hour wind gusts when that fire initially hit,” Trahan said. “Our bigger focus was downwind, where the fire was going, rather than where the fire is, since we had a fast-moving fire like that.”
To find up-to-date information on the status of the Onion Creek fire, visit www.inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/txtxs-onion-creek-fire.
As more information becomes available, the Hays Free Press will update this story.
