A fire burned across 35 acres in northeast Burnet County on the afternoon of Sunday, March 29. The blaze was believed to have been started by the use of the recreational explosive, Tannerite.
According to a media release issued by the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management, several area fire departments responded to the fire at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at a property along RM 2340.
The blaze took approximately four and a half hours to contain and was fueled by an abundance of dry foliage left behind from the winter season. The release states that the fire was caused by “the assumed usage of Tannerite as part of a celebration.”
“(Sunday’s) events serve to highlight the danger that still exists from the freeze-cured, dead grasses that are leftover from last summer’s rains and ongoing drought conditions,” reads a statement from the Burnet County OEM.
Burnet County is currently at a moderate risk for fire danger according to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index. This is a common metric used by Texas counties to determine the threat of fire danger based on soil moisture and daily water balance. The scale ranges from 0-800, with lower ratings indicating lower fire danger and higher ratings indicating higher fire danger.
Soil moisture
As of Tuesday, March 31, the KBDI ratings in Burnet County are 172 on the low end and 459 on the high end, with an average rating of 373.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, a rating of 200-400 indicates: Fuels are beginning to dry and contribute to wildfire intensity. Heavier fuels will still not readily ignite and burn. This is often seen in late spring or early summer.
Groundwater drought stage
Burnet County was recently moved up to Stage 3 drought restrictions by the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District on March 18.
Under this rating, groundwater users are asked to voluntarily reduce usage by 20 percent.
Welding permits now required in northeast Burnet County
Starting on April 1, 2026, contractors will be required to obtain permits before welding within the confines of Burnet County Emergency Services District No. 8, which includes most of northeast Burnet County. Fence building and building construction are included in this requirement.
This was announced in a Facebook post by ESD No. 8 on Saturday, March 28.
“This is in response to the growing number of wildfires caused by welding operations, it outlines fire safety requirements for such operations,” reads the post. “This permit does not apply to private individuals on their own property.”
According to the Burnet County OEM, many wildfires in the county are caused by welding or cutting activity.
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News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Granite Shoals will host its annual Easter Egg Extravaganza at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Quarry Park, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road, offering a free, family-friendly event featuring more than 30,000 eggs.
The event will include age-specific hunting areas designed to accommodate children of all ages, along with opportunities for families to take photos with the Easter Bunny.
“We’re excited to host the Easter Egg Extravaganza as an opportunity for families to come together and enjoy a fun, welcoming experience in our community,” City Manager Sarah Novo told DailyTrib. “Events like this reflect the heart of Granite Shoals; bringing people together, celebrating community, and enjoying the beautiful spaces that make our city so special.”
The event is hosted by the city of Granite Shoals and made possible through support from the Granite Shoals Police Officers Association and the Granite Shoals Fire Auxiliary, in partnership with the Marble Falls High School marching band.
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Hundreds of people attended the No Kings protest held on Saturday, March 28, in Marble Falls. The event was part of a larger national movement in which millions of Americans reportedly participated on Saturday.
The No Kings protest in Marble Falls began at around 1 p.m. on Saturday with protesters lining either side of the U.S. 281 bridge. DailyTrib staff counted over 400 individuals at 1:30 p.m. on the day.
The No Kings movement began in June 2025 as an organized national protest against the perceived “authoritarian” behavior of U.S. President Donald Trump and the federal government. A second nationwide No Kings protest was held in October 2025, and hundreds reportedly attended the locally held Marble Falls event. This third No Kings rally, held on Saturday, was said to be one of the largest protests in U.S. history, with event organizers Indivisible estimating 8 million participants spread across roughly 3,300 rallies in the country.
The local No Kings event was hosted by Kingsland resident and Burnet County Democratic Party precinct chair Christine Garcia Bowman. She also hosted the October 2025 event.
“This is a nonpartisan event,” she told DailyTrib. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. If you’re unhappy with what is going on in the country, come and join us.”
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News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District voters have several opportunities to learn more about the district’s $135 million bond package slated for the May 2 ballot at three upcoming info sessions and campus tours.
Held at Burnet Middle School, RJ Richey Elementary, and Bertram Elementary, the meetings will provide voters with key information on the bond package, its impacts on neighborhoods and taxes, and show community members areas of concern at the schools which prompted the bond.
These three campuses are the most likely to see significant changes if the bond is passed in May.
The date, time, and location of the info sessions are as follows:
RJ Richey Elementary – March 31 at 6 p.m., 500 E. Graves Street in Burnet
Burnet Middle School – April 7 at 6 p.m., 1401 N. Main Street in Burnet
Bertram Elementary – April 13 at 6 p.m., 315 Main Street in Bertram
Since the board of trustees approved the bond vote in February, BCISD officials have worked to educate voters on the package through community meetings and the launch of a bond information website.
If passed by voters, the bulk of the bond package will be spent on campus renovations and construction, including construction of a new Burnet Middle School, classroom additions at RJ Richey Elementary, and security upgrades at Bertram Elementary. A breakdown of the bond can be found below.
The bond breakdown
BCISD’s proposed $135 million bond will be split into two propositions on the May 2 ballot: Proposition A and B.
Proposition A, roughly $133 million, allows for funds to be used on general facilities, modernization, deferred maintenance, and land acquisition.
Proposition B, roughly $2 million, allows for funds to be used on district-wide technology upgrades.
BCISD previously included an at-a-glance look at the planned projects in a press release for the bond. The projects listed are:
Burnet Middle School – Campus overhaul, new academic facility, and renovations
New academic building and performance space designed for 900 students, with capacity to expand to 1,200 students in the future
Classrooms and collaborative learning spaces
Science labs and elective spaces
Library/media center
Cafeteria and kitchen
Special education spaces
Renovation of existing fine arts and athletics spaces
RJ Richey Elementary – Campus improvements
Redesigned interior spaces to improve capacity and flow
New academic classrooms built within existing cafeteria and courtyard space
Conversion of interior gym into a cafetorium and kitchen
Dedicated art and music rooms
Right-sized special education spaces
Increases student capacity to better match the district’s other elementary schools and delay the need for an additional new elementary campus
Deferred maintenance at campuses
Roof replacement
Electrical system upgrades
HVAC replacements
Replacement of selected interior finishes
Building protection system upgrades
Conversion to energy-efficient LED lighting
Bertram Elementary School
New secure front entry to improve safety and controlled access
Districtwide needs and future planning
Replacement of aging buses to support safe and reliable transportation
Refresh of student technology devices used for instruction and assessments (Proposition B)
Purchase of land for a future elementary school and a future middle school near Bertram
Note that these projects and the bond itself are still early in the planning process, and may be subject to change.
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A Granite Shoals pastor, 65-year-old Raymond Keasler Jr., was killed in a motorcycle crash on Friday, March 27, in Marble Falls.
According to a statement from the Marble Falls Police Department, officers responded to a motorcycle crash at around noon on Friday near the intersection of RR 1431 and Industrial Boulevard in Marble Falls.
MFPD wrote that a motorcycle and a box truck had collided at the intersection.
The motorcycle operator, identified as Keasler, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Keasler was a co-founder and senior pastor of AbundantHeart Church in Granite Shoals along with his wife, Cricket. Abundant Heart opened its doors for its first service on October 9, 2011, and has welcomed the community each Sunday since.
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The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team won its regional semifinal game 1-0 on Friday, March 27 against the Valley View Tigers in San Antonio. This win puts them in the top eight teams in the state in their division.
Next, the Mustangs (17-3-5 overall, 10-1-1 district) face the Davenport Wolves (15-4-3 overall, 8-2-2 district) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, at Antler Stadium 1310 Sidney Baker Street in Kerrville. This game is the regional finals of the 2026 4A Division 1 Playoffs and it will determine who goes on to the state semifinals.
Staff photo by David Bean
The Mustangs named Noe Gonzales, Drake Taylor, Jett Marcum, Will Guzman, and Carlos Roque as players of the game in the close regional semifinals contest.
Marble Falls may have a strong chance at victory in the regional finals on Tuesday, as they defeated Davenport 5-2 in district play on March 3. But, they also tied with the team 1-1 in an earlier contest on Feb. 6.
A community send off for the soccer team is planned for 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday on the U.S. 281 bridge in Marble Falls. Participants plan to gather toward the middle of the bridge to cheer on the team as they pass by in their buses to drum up Mustang pride.
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The Llano Earth Art Festival rocked the Highland Lakes this past weekend, Friday through Sunday, March 27-29. Artists, visitors, and vendors from the area and around the world congregated in Llano for the unique spring festival focused on creating art from natural materials.
The festival, better known as LEAF, took place within the banks of the Llano River in Grenwelge Park, 199 E. Haynie Street in Llano. Held almost every year since 2015, LEAF features the World Rock Stacking Championships and countless sculptures made using materials found along the riverbed and bank.
One of the longtime attendees of the festival, Bigfoot, had this to say about the event.
Bigfoot can be seen here giving some sage advice to festival goers. Llano local Dale Barnett has been suiting up as Sasquatch at LEAF for the last decade. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
“It’s awfully hot in Texas. I come out of hibernation this time of year, in the spring, and when it starts getting too hot I go back into hibernation,” Bigfoot told DailyTrib. “The LEAF festival has always been a lovely home for me. They make a lovely space, and the people are lovely, that is what brings me out.”
Llano local Dale Barnett has been suiting up as Bigfoot for LEAF for the last decade, posing for photos and acting as a benevolent guide for festival goers.
While the festival is over this year, much of the artwork is still on display at Grenwelge Park and can be seen free-of-charge.
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