Published: July 24, 2008 11:20 am      

Fire scorches county

140 rural acres up in smoke

Area firefighters finished battling a blaze Wednesday that broke out on Tuesday in Hays County.

Fifteen structures were threatened when 140 acres burned on Tuesday afternoon near the Rancho Encino subdivision off Ranch Road 12, said Jan Faulkerson of the Texas Forest Service. Six outbuildings were lost, along with damages to several vehicles.

South Hays, Wimberley, San Marcos and Kyle fire departments responded, along with the Texas Forest Service. Starflight provided bucket drops and airplanes kept watch over the direction of the fire, Faulkerson said. Bulldozers and fire hand crews were also on the scene.

Flair-ups continued through yesterday morning due to dry conditions, Faulkerson said.

“We are in high fire danger. Central Texas is the highest in the state,” she said. “Any rain we do get from hurricane Dolly is probably not going to make much of a difference.”

Hays county is under a burn ban that prohibits outdoor burning.

“We just ask the public to be careful during any outdoor activity, especially while doing anything that could cause a spark,” Faulkerson said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.