Onion Creek Fire Daily Update
March 5, 2025
9:30 am.

Size: 150 acres
Containment: 45%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Undetermined; cause is under investigation
 

The Onion Creek Fire started on March 4th in north Hays County and was initially responded to by local fire departments. Texas A&M Forest Service was requested to provide assistance in the form of additional firefighters and heavy equipment at 4:12 pm and quickly responded. Texas A&M Forest Service is currently in unified command with local fire departments and Hays County. Crews continue to construct containment lines around the outside of the fire with bulldozers and protect structures both within the burned areas and in the path of the fire. 

This fire started during a period of extreme fire risk due to high temperatures, low humidity, and extremely high winds. These factors together all led to the possibility for fires to start and rapidly expand in size and become highly resistant to control efforts by fire department. Crews are working through these difficulties to protect the public and the structures around this wildfire. 

Initially, several roads were closed and voluntary evacuations were put into place to move members of the public away from the fire, providing safety for the public and allowing firefighters to better protect their structures. 

Planned Actions:
Dozers will finish improving the fireline construction. Current lines are being monitored and strengthened by engines. Crews will continue to mop up the fire. The main focus will be on containment and mop up activities. Crews will continue to monitor the weather today and evaluate changing conditions.

Weather Concerns: 
Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions will be present for Wednesday afternoon. Winds over the eastern half of the area will be breezy late this morning and continue until the middle of the afternoon. Winds will be from the north at 10-15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. The strong winds will be before the relative humidity drops to its minimum, and this change will mean no critical fire weather conditions. Winds will decrease by the middle of the afternoon when relative humidity reaches the daily low. 

Evacuations and Closures:
No evacuations or closures at this time.

Damages and Injuries:
Currently, there have been no reports of injuries from the public or first responders. No structures or critical infrastructure have been lost or are currently threatened.

Yesterday fire crews were able to continue ignition operations at Dawson. They managed to burn over 850 piles across 50 acres. Firefighters will return to the Dawson burn area for a continuation of pile burning. Firefighters will only burn the piles if conditions are ideal for a safe, effective burn, as well as for good smoke dispersal. Smoke may be visible in surrounding areas during burning operations and days following as the piles smolder per day depending on smoke dispersal.

Twin Oryx Fire Daily Update
March 4, 2025
9:30 p.m.
 

Size: 800 acres
Containment: 20%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Unknown, under investigation; 

The Twin Oryx Fire is burning in open grass and mesquite fields southeast of Cotulla. Firefighters are taking advantage of the existing ranch roads in the area and the lower winds to burn off the roads to stop fire spread. The intentional use of fire in this fashion allows firefighters to minimize impact on the ground by limiting heavy equipment use while quickly constructing large control lines between the roads and the incoming wildfire. Once firefighters have burned off the grass and mesquite inside the road system there is no fuel for the fire to continue growing and allows for increased containment. 

These crews will continue working through the night conducting burn operations and utilizing a county maintainer, or road grader, to improve existing roads and burn off the side closest to the fire to prevent further fire spread. After firefighters finish the burn operations they continue to patrol the outside of the burn unit ensuring that no heats remain along the lines that could cause fire growth tomorrow when winds are forecasted to be higher again. 

Evacuations and Closures:
There is a voluntary evacuation order at this time.

Damages and Injuries:
At this time there have been no reports of injuries or damages to structures.

Calaveras Fire Daily Update
March 4, 2025
9:30 p.m.
 

Size: 284 acres
Containment: 30%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Unknown, under investigation; 

The Calaveras fire has had containment lines constructed around the perimeter of the fire. Crews were able to take advantage of existing road systems and quick responses from local fire departments to hold the fire with a small amount of constructed containment lines. Heavy equipment constructed those small sections of containment lines while fire engines from around the area and across the state worked around the perimeter of the fire. As these engines patrolled the perimeter they put out any sources of heat along those lines to reduce the chance that the fire could continue growing in the morning.

Crews will be back in the morning to continue to monitor the fire through the next period of high winds that are forecasted for tomorrow. Some fire engines will patrol around this fire keeping it in it's footprint, while the heavy equipment and additional fire engines will return to their staging locations and be prepared for any new fires that may start tomorrow.

Evacuations and Closures:
There is no evacuation orders at this time.

Damages and Injuries:
There are no injuries at this time. There are reports of damaged structures but these are still being assesed to ensure accurate numbers.

Duke Fire Daily Update
March 4, 2025
9:00 a.m.
 

Size: 50 acres
Containment: 0%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Unknown, under investigation; 

The Duke fire continues to burn in thick vegetation even as the winds have slowed down. Firefighters are working to construct containment lines using a bulldozer, clearing all grass, brush, and debris away from the fire to stop fire growth. These containment lines will also allow fire engines to begin patrolling around the perimeter of the fire, putting out any areas of heat that could become a threat in the morning. This process of constructing lines and patrolling them takes time but is critically important to lower the chance of additional fire growth tomorrow when high winds are forecasted again. 

Additionally, firefighters are working around structures that are near or in the burned area to protect these structures and prevent any future structure loss. This process takes times as crews are working through burned areas looking for any heat or small embers that could potentially damage structures. These burned areas have dangers like downed power lines, burned out trees, and potentially deep pits of ash where a root system completely burned. Personnel must work carefully around all of these hazards and work to mitigate them so that residents will be safe when they return to the area. Fire crews will be back in the morning to continue their work and hold this fire ahead of the expected high winds tomorrow.

Evacuations and Closures:
There is a voluntary evacuation order at this time.

Damages and Injuries:
At this time there have been 2 local firefighters who were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Klett Fire Daily Update
March 4, 2025
8:30 p.m.

Size: 126 acres
Containment: 50%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Unknown, under investigation;
 

Firefighters have been working through the evening to slow and stop growth on the Klett Fire. The fire was growing rapidly towards Johnson City and resources from around the area and across the state worked together to stop the rapid fire spread and begin constructing containment lines around the fire. Fire engines have been working to take advantage of areas of open grass to stop fire spread while heavy equipment has been constructing lines clear of any fuel through dense wooded areas and around the fire. Heavy equipment has been making good progress constructing lines that engines will then use to patrol and reduce heat along the lines. These containment lines and continued patrolling and mopping up, extinguishing the heat along the edge, will allow firefighters to stop fire spread and keep the fire in its current footprint. 

Crews will be working through the night, taking advantage of the forecasted lower winds and lower temperatures, to put in these containment lines. High winds are expected again in the morning and any heat left along the containment lines presents a threat for continued growth. To reduce these threats engines will patrol through the night until they can find no more heat and then return in the morning. In the morning they will continue to monitor and patrol the existing lines for any heat, as well as widening and improving the control lines to ensure no further spread.

Evacuations and Closures:
No evacuations or closures at this time.

Damages and Injuries:
Currently, there have been no reports of injuries from the public or first responders. No structures or critical infrastructure have been lost.

Welder Complex Fire Evening Update
March 4, 2025
8:30 p.m.

Size: 175 acres
Containment: 0%
Start Date: March 4, 2025
Cause: Unknown, under investigation

Firefighters are continuing to suppress the wildfires around Sinton, TX through very high winds and difficult working conditions. Crews have been working all afternoon to slow spread of both the initial Welder Fire and the additional fire, Railway Fire, in spite of and protect structures. These fires both started and quickly began growing due to the high wind speeds and extreme fire danger in South Texas. Evacuation orders were issued earlier today, evacuating a large area and moving residents to the San Patricio County Fairgrounds to protect public lives as the Welder Fire began burning towards the town of Sinton. Firefighters from around the area and across the state have been working all afternoon to protect structures in Sinton as the fire impacted the community. Heavy Equipment has been working to construct containment lines in open areas, working to connect streets and stop open spread of the fire across the landscape.

The high winds are expected to calm overnight and allow a brief reprieve before picking up again tomorrow morning. During this period with light winds firefighters will take advantage of the better conditions to construct containment lines and better protect structures that are around the fire or within the burned areas. Crews will work to extinguish any heat sources along the lines constructed by bulldozers, working to reduce the chance of new growth tomorrow. 

Evacuations and Closures:
There is currently an evacuated area between Business Highway 77, US Highway 181, and TX-89. Evacuees are welcome at the shelter set up at the San Patricio County Fairgrounds.

Damages and Injuries:
There have been reports of damaged structures at this time and crews are working to evaluate and protect all structures within the burned areas.

Evacuation Orders for Welder Fire

Currently there is an evacuation order put in place for the Welder Fire. The area currently under evacuation orders is east of Business Highway 77, north of US Highway 181, south of Chiltipin Creek, and west of TX-89. Residents within this area are advised to evacuate the area and take shelter at the San Patricio County Fairgrounds where there are organizations set up to care for evacuees. 

Residents should take with them their pets and family members, enough personal items (changes of clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste) for 24-48 hours, and prescriptions they may need, personal documents (social security cards, birth certificates), and priceless items with them. These evacuations orders have been issued with the public's safety in mind as firefighters are working tirelessly to protect the public and their structures.

Recent snowfall has made pile burning conditions favorable. BLM Southwest Fire will be conducting a prescribed pile burn on the Dawson vegetation project located in the Tres Rios Field Office today (3/4/2025) through the remainder of the week. Fire crews will hand light slash piles and will remain on scene to monitor the fire activity. Smoke from the pile burn will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas.

BLM fire crews took full advantage of the weather conditions to successfully complete the Yellow Jacket pile burn. A total of 30 piles were ignited over 20 acres. Fire crews remained on scene throughout the day patrolling the burn area. Fire crews will continue to return to the burn area to monitor and patrol. 

Smoke may still linger during the heat of the day and accumulate in low-lying areas a few days after the burn. The completion of the Yellow Jacket project is an ongoing effort to reduce the hazardous fuel loading and the elimination of noxious and invasive plants from public lands.