Austin Texas News

An evacuation order is in effect for a small area in Hays County west of Mountain City and Buda as multiple wildfires cropped up Tuesday. The fire is located north of Indian Hills Trail, east of Teal Lane, west of Story Drive and north of Onion Creek, the Hays County Office of Emergency Services said in a 5:20 p.m. Facebook post. The county says, while no structures are in danger, people who were ordered to…

“I was a single mom at the time with three kids and we had to pull it together and rebuild. At the time, that was probably the worst moment in my life.” PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — Erichea Conti understands the full impact of a tragedy. In 2011, her home in Bastrop County burned down as fires quickly spread across the area.  “I lost everything I owned. I was a single mom at the time with three…

Tuesday’s forecast includes low humidity levels, powerful winds and lots of sun: all the ingredients for wildfires to ignite and spread. National Weather Service officials said the conditions are dangerous and “potentially historic.” A red flag warning is in effect until Tuesday at 9 p.m. Meteorologists are expecting 30 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 55 mph. Humidity levels are expected to drop to 15% – in other words, the air will be super…

“It’s not all hard work. It’s just a matter of steps to harden your homes.” AUSTIN, Texas — A community in northeast Austin is taking the initiative to stop the spread of wildfires in their neighborhood. Firewise USA is a program that helps neighborhoods plan how to protect their homes against wildfires. On Saturday, Walnut Creek Enclave became the 21st Firewise community in Austin after learning tips and tricks to prevent wildfire spread. One neighbor…

From Arctic air to a heavy rain threat? We’re tracking a big pattern change here in Central Texas. AUSTIN, Texas — Our weather has been wild this past week, with a 5-day streak of below-freezing lows coming to an end Saturday morning and a dusting of snow this past Tuesday.  However, we’re now much milder, which means anything that falls from the sky will be of the liquid variety – and we could have a…

Firefighters from the Austin area have traveled to Southern California to help battle the Los Angeles wildfires as another round of powerful Santa Ana winds are expected Monday and Tuesday. More than 40,000 acres have burned and 14,000 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades and Eaton fires. At least 27 people have died. Round Rock Fire Chief Shane Glaiser estimated around 15 to 20 personnel from the Austin area were deployed to the region,…

Those who were in Austin in 2011 remember the tragic wildfires that hit Bastrop, Steiner Ranch and Spicewood that summer. The fires collectively burned through thousands of acres of land and destroyed over a thousand homes. “You can still drive down 21 in Bastrop and see where the trees were,” Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell said. “The scar is still there. And it’s starting to grow back up, but you can still see some…

The crews from Mexico will join thousands of other firefighters on the frontlines of the fires. LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. — As crews continue to battle the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Saturday the arrival of 72 firefighters and disaster relief workers from Mexico.  Crews from Mexico’s National Forestry Commission and Ministry of Defense are joining the ongoing firefighting efforts. In a press release, Newsom expressed deep gratitude to Mexico for sending…

It was a Labor Day weekend that people who lived in the Austin area 14 years ago likely won’t forget: an outbreak of wildfires that left hundreds homeless. AUSTIN, Texas — On Sep. 4, 2011, the ingredients came together to create a Central Texas wildfire disaster: a persistent drought, gusty winds caused by a storm system hundreds of miles away and record high temperatures. That Labor Day weekend saw dozens of wildfire spring up across…

A battalion chief for the Austin Fire Department says mitigating any risk starts with the homeowner. AUSTIN, Texas — As the California wildfires rage on, some Central Texans are sounding the alarm on the possibility of one happening in Austin. One Sunset Valley homeowner, Horacio Gasquet, says the risk is high.  “I have all these woods here and there’s a ton of dead and down material that can burn and make some rather large fires,”…

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least three separate blazes Wednesday, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena. LOS ANGELES — Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke. Thousands of firefighters were battling at least three separate blazes on Wednesday, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena. Here’s the latest: 5 people…

Goats will eat grass, plants and shrubs along the Chaparral Hiking Trail. AUSTIN, Texas — A herd of hardworking goats are headed to Steiner Ranch to help reduce wildfire risk. Steiner Ranch’s HOA and Lake Travis Fire and Rescue hired the goats to graze 24/7, now through Friday. Goats will eat grass, plants and shrubs in the greenbelt along the Chaparral Hiking Trail. Lake Travis Fire and Rescue said the pilot project is part of…

Goats will eat grass, plants and shrubs along the Chaparral Hiking Trail. AUSTIN, Texas — A herd of hardworking goats are headed to Steiner Ranch to help reduce wildfire risk. Steiner Ranch’s HOA and Lake Travis Fire and Rescue hired the goats to graze 24/7, now through Friday. Goats will eat grass, plants and shrubs in the greenbelt along the Chaparral Hiking Trail. Lake Travis Fire and Rescue said the pilot project is part of…

Our weather is pleasant and a little cooler for Christmas Day, but we’re not done with active weather for this week. AUSTIN, Texas — It was a very active Christmas Eve for the eastern half of our KVUE area with a several severe storms, and even a couple of tornado warnings. We did have several reports of hail sent in, but fortunately no reports of tornado damage. In the wake of these storms, our weather…

There are plenty of ways to protect vehicles with limited time before severe weather hits. AUSTIN, Texas — If you’ve lived in Texas long enough, chances are you’ve been burned by a nasty hailstorm at least once in your life. Storms in Texas can bring all kinds of storms and sometimes large-sized hail in just a matter of minutes. If you only have a small window to prepare and don’t have access to covered parking,…