Bastrop County Hit With Another Forest Fire

A fire was reported just north of Smithville, Texas in Bastrop County on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

So far, that fire, named the Hidden Pines Fire, has engulfed nearly 400 acres.

During a press conference on Wednesday, officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced the fire is about 50 percent contained.

This fire, thankfully, pales in comparison to the massive fire that charred forestland in Bastrop County in 2011. That fire consumed nearly 35,000 acres and destroyed nearly 1,400 homes.

So far, the Hidden Pines Fire has forced the evacuation of a couple dozen families and just a few county roads have been closed. Low humidity and very little summer and early fall precipitation have led to the ripe conditions for the spread of this fire.

Authorities are confident that they will soon have this fire 100 percent contained. But, unless a good amount of rain falls soon, more fires in the region are expected.