Second Blanco County wildfire grows to over 900 acres
Hill Country and state fire units responded to the Cypress Mill Road fire in Blanco County around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7. The 940-acre fire was 75 percent contained as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 8. Texas A&M Forest Service photo
As crews worked to put out one Blanco County wildfire, a second blaze started around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, on Cypress Mill Road about 10 miles northwest of Johnson City.
“The first arriving units (to the Cypress Mill Road fire) reported approximately 50 acres involved with heavy fuels, heavy fire conditions and structures threatened,” according to a Blanco County Emergency Management social media post.
Officials requested assistance from task forces from Burnet and Gillespie counties as well as Travis County STAR Flight 2 and Texas A&M Forest Service units.
The Cypress Mill Road fire quickly spread to 940 acres, according to the Forest Service. As of about 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, the fire was 75 percent contained.
On Sunday, June 5, units responded to the Lincoln Smith Fire in the Round Mountain area in northern Blanco County. The fire covered 119 acres and was 100 percent contained as of Tuesday, June 7.
With the possibility of more wildfires in the days and weeks to come as dry, hot conditions persist, the Highland Lakes Crisis Network is continuing to accept donations of water and sports drinks such as Powerade and Gatorade for firefighters. Donations may be dropped off at the network’s office, 700 Avenue T in Marble Falls, in portable building No. 4.
On the scene of the Cypress Mill Road fire, crews managed to protect a number of structures, according to Blanco County Emergency Management. Fire crews also had to deal with the extreme heat and strong winds.
Despite challenges, fire units stopped forward progression of the fire late Tuesday. The Forest Service crew continued through the night to complete a fire containment line as other units remained on the scene to patrol.
The cause of the Cypress Mill Road fire is unknown at this time, according to the Forest Service.
On Tuesday, Blanco County Judge Brett Bray declared a state of disaster related to wildfire risks and issued an order prohibiting all outdoor burning, which immediately took effect.