Endangered songbirds not harmed by fire near La Cima

FIRE DANGER

Authorities still don’t know for sure what started a wildfire at La Cima earlier this month, but they have determined it likely had little effect on endangered songbirds that live in the area.

Hays County Emergency Management Coordinator Kharley Smith said the final determination is that about 14 acres burned on June 1, but that only 3.6 of the 600 acres the subdivision’s developers have set aside as critical habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler was affected.

South Hays County Fire Chief Richard Kasco said his crews received mutual aid from San Marcos, Wimberley and Kyle to battle the blaze in what he described as rough terrain. “There were a lot of little ‘fingers’ that branched out,” he said.

Kasco said the fire occurred in a remote area of the subdivision, which is being built to the west of the San Marcos Academy. A contractor with a crew working to repair an adjacent flood control dam helped to direct firefighters, he said.

“There wasn’t a confirmed ignition source,” Smith said, although some witnesses blamed a white pickup truck they saw turning around in tall, dry grass. “That’s one of the reports — we don’t know if it is accurate,” she said.

As a precaution, Smith said workers on the flood control dam were given instructions regarding fire safety and precautionary measures. She also said that the day after the fire, county crews went to the scene to cut some fire brakes.

The extent of damage to the critical habitat was ascertained from an aerial survey. “It doesn’t appear that any of the trees” where the endangered songbirds nest were affected, Smith said, “just some portions that had high grass. We did take the precaution of not starting the project until after nesting season,” she added.

La Cima is a 2,000-acre master planned community still under construction.

Hays County is currently under a burn ban that prohibits all outdoor burning.

To report a fire, call 911.