Oak Grove Fire

Family faces loss of home, wildfire mostly contained

By late Monday, more was known of the extent of the damage caused by what is now called the Oak Grove Fire, which started sometime on Friday in an area of Hays County that includes Oak Grove/Fox and Thurman Road.

The wildfire, estimated to have burned approximately 400 acres, was officially 75 percent contained as of 5:54 p.m. Monday and had caused no loss of life. It did destroy the home of a father and son who had previously owned the burned residence but were leasing it from the new owner in anticipation of a move to a new home at the end of the month.

Michael Hinz and his son, Travis, returned to what was left of their home on Sunday and again, Monday, to assess the scope of their loss.

Micheal Hinz is a U.S. Army veteran and known to the Hays County community for four decades of his metalwork art. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease halted that work, but Michael, who is also battling Stage 4 prostate cancer, said he was writing screenplays, four of which were likely destroyed in the wildfire.

In a telephone interview, Travis Hinz and his father said the family is staying temporarily with his sister in Hays County. Another family member has started a GoFundMe account to assist the father and son. For those who can donate, the website is https://gofund. me/a22569f1.

Officials with the Hays County Fire Marshall’s Office, the Office of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M Forest Service had confirmed Sunday that one residence, as well as an unknown number of outbuildings, were destroyed in the wildfire.

Throughout the wildfire, Hays County Commissioners Court Judge Ruben Becerra was on the scene in his official capacity as head of the county's emergency management response. In addition, crews from many neighboring counties and across the state, as well as other states from as far as Tennessee and Alabama, were on site to assist in containing the dangerous wildfire. Becerra provided routine video updates from Friday to early Monday, keeping residents across the county aware of the status of the wildfire and the need for any additional resources or evacuations.

He said a person could feel the heat radiating from hot spots on Monday, and that stories in print could not truly tell the tale.

He added that the San Marcos Police Department, the Hays County Sheriff's Office and the San Marcos Fire Department were all part of the response teams. Sheriff's deputies went door to door to alert residents, and there were evacuations, although at no point was there a general evacuation order in place–only an as needed request to residents in direct danger to evacuate upon request by officials.

Hays County Emergency Management officials stated that as 5 p.m. Monday, residents who had previously been asked to leave their homes were allowed back into the Oak Grove/Fox/Thurman area. Only residents of that neighborhood and first responders (as well as CERT volunteers) were allowed back into the area affected by the wildfire. Hays County Sheriff Office deputies were stationed at key roadways to prevent non-emergency personnel and non-residents from entering the affected areas.

Crews were prioritizing areas on the northern perimeter of the wildfire Monday where access was difficult due to rough terrain, and dozers were unable to work. Two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters were expected to be back over the wildfire on Monday to provide bucket drops on flareups or other hotspots near the perimeters of the wildfire perimeters.

Officials stated that critical fire weather was forecasted for Monday and today with relative humidity expected to drop to 17%, a high of 106° and winds gusting from the south up to 23 mph. A red flag warning was in effect through Monday night.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, firefighters and all assigned resources have responded to 17 new wildfires accounting for 1,953.4 acres burned as of Sunday.

For early this week officials stated that “elevated fire weather will continue to align with areas of concern where critically dry to extremely dry vegetation is present on the landscape, resulting in increased potential for wildfire activity for the Hill Country, Cross Timbers, Central Texas, Western Pineywoods and into Southeast Texas.”

Red flag warnings that were issued Sunday were set to expire Monday, as winds are forecast to be slightly lower across the state except for the Gulf Coast. Wind speeds in the Gulf Coast are forecast for 15-20 mph and associated with sea breeze activity.

Active Texas wildfires include: Oak Grove Fire, Hays County-est. 400 acres, 75% contained; Mt Calm Fire, Hill County- 180 acres, 80% contained, Mack Fire, Wichita County-est. 700 acres, 75% contained, Red Barn 7 Fire, Jeff Davis County- est. 490 acres, 50%.