Park Road 4 fire: Evacuated residents can return home; more than 100 personnel battling blaze
More than 100 firefighting personnel, including from out-of-state agencies, have assisted in battling the Park Road 4 fire in Burnet County. Courtesy photo by James Oakley
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
BURNET — The Texas A&M Forest Service announced July 31 that evacuated residents near the Park Road 4 fire will be allowed back into their homes at 5 p.m.
The fire began the afternoon of July 29 on private property between CR 116 and Park Road 4, forcing evacuations of residents and Inks Lake State Park visitors. Officials cite an all-terrain vehicle as the cause.
Officials reported that the roads should be open by 9 p.m. July 31.
Campers at Camp Longhorn also will be allowed back on the property today. Inks Lake State Park announced it will reopen 8 a.m. Aug. 1 but with certain areas closed to the public. All southern trails and primitive and youth group camping sites are closed until further notice.
The fire has burned 557 acres. As of 1 p.m., the fire is at 70 percent containment.
Although Marble Falls received about an inch of rain overnight, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Inks Lake area missed out. Llano, Buchanan Dam, and Inks Lake State Park recorded no rainfall, while Kingsland received 0.68 inches, Cottonwood Shores had 1.5 inches, and Burnet recorded 1.08 inches.
Fire crews will continue to monitor hotspots and work toward 100 percent containment. The rough terrain in the area makes firefighting efforts difficult.
The Texas A&M Forest Service said more than 100 firefighting personnel have assisted.
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office released a list of agencies involved: Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Bertram VFD, Burnet VFD, Granite Shoals VFD, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, Horseshoe Bay Fire Department, Cassie VFD, Oakalla VFD, Spicewood VFD, Cedar Park Fire Department, Liberty Fire Department, Florence Fire Department, Johnson City VFD, Kempner Fire Department, Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department, Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, Burnet Police Department, Granite Shoals Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, Horseshoe Bay Police Department, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement, Burnet County Community Emergency Response Team, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Burnet County EMS as well as out-of-state agencies from Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia.