Blaze destroys Hoover’s Valley home; firefighters keep eye on hot spots to prevent spread
EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON
Several agencies responded to a house fire August 7 in the Hoover’s Valley area that destroyed one home and had firefighters on watch a day after the blaze.
Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services Capt. Marc Talamantez said the department responded to a three-story log home in the Kingsland Ranch subdivision on Lake LBJ late in the afternoon.
“When we arrived, the structure was fully engulfed,” Talamantez said.
Other area agencies assisted.
Talamantez said containing the fire and keeping it from jumping to nearby brush and spreading was a concern.
He pointed out there is a high risk for brush fires.
“The big concern is we were blessed with so much rain when we had it earlier this year,” he said.
But, he added, it increased growth in the underbrush areas that now are potential fuel sources in the current hot, dry weather.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the one dwelling, but the home was a total loss. Talamantez said fire crews stayed on the scene until about 2 a.m. Thursday and returned at 7 a.m. to continue monitoring the site.
“With log homes like that, the logs have a tendency to burn for days,” he said. “Our biggest concern is it sparks a brush fire, which can threaten nearby homes.”
The captain said there were no reports of injuries due to fire.
“People need to be cautious,” Talamantez said. “Make sure your smoke detectors are working because you never know, the next time it could be your house.”