Fredericksburg, Texas – The Fredericksburg Fire/EMS Department and Willow City Volunteer Fire & Rescue as well as other Gillespie County departments are continuing to manage the Crabapple Fire.  

The Texas A&M Forest Service has raised the level of containment to 95 percent and the affected area has remained unchanged at an estimated 9,858 acres. Late Wednesday, officials made the decision to ramp down state assets on site in Willow City, Texas.

“Overnight, the winds died down and there were no major flare ups,” Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell said. “We are so appreciative of our state and federal partners, including the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, without their support we would not have been able to save the structures that we did and contain this fire. Our local crews, including a strike team from the Forest Service will continue to monitor the affected area.”

Winds are forecasted to remain calmer on Thursday with north winds from 5-10 mph.  

“Now our focus turns to helping the people that were affected by the devastation of this fire,” Bizzell added. “Our hearts go out to those that lost everything. Our crews will continue to assist in recovery and relief efforts.”

Gillespie County is still under a burn ban as drought conditions persist in the region.

As part of Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones’ Disaster Declaration of March 15, all outdoor burning is prohibited, including trash, brush, trees, storm debris, construction material debris, and open campfires, until further notice.

Additionally, outdoor hot work, such as welding or torch cutting, should be avoided unless absolutely necessary and must be conducted with adequate fire suppression measures on site. Violations of this order are punishable by fines up to $1,000 or confinement in jail for up to 180 days. In the Fredericksburg city limits, extreme caution should be utilized when doing anything that could start a fire.

Drink, snack, meals and other supplies for firefighters are not needed currently. To support recovery efforts from the Crabapple Fire, Gillespie County has partnered with the OneStar Foundation and Rebuild Texas to establish the Crabapple Fire Relief Fund. It is the only approved online donation portal. Donations can be made at onestarfoundation.org/crabapple-fire-relief-fund.

Landowners and ranchers that have been affected by the fire and those that want to help them should reach out to the local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office at (830) 997-3452 to learn more about efforts to help the agriculture community.

Officials expect to release a full recap of the Crabapple Fire next week.

FIRE INFORMATION
The fire started around 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, near 8700 Lower Crabapple Road, which is nearly 11 miles north of downtown Fredericksburg and moved east across Highway 16 North due to high winds and prime conditions for wildfires in the area. 

Late Sunday, one Fredericksburg firefighter was injured, while working the fire. A tree limb fell and caused injury. The firefighter was taken to the hospital and treated and has since been released.

As of 7:30 a.m. on Monday, March 17, all roads have reopened to any necessary travel.

As crews continue to work, everyone is asked to avoid the area unless it is necessary. People should listen to crews on the ground about access.

As of 4 p.m. on Monday, the Red Cross shelter in Fredericksburg at Zion Lutheran Church at 426 W. Main St. has closed. They served seven people.

On Monday at 8:45 p.m., damage assessments from the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Division of Emergency Management were released…

• 9 total residences destroyed
  • 7 possibly occupied & 2 confirmed unoccupied
• 2 residences damaged
• 20 outbuildings destroyed
• 4 outbuildings damaged

On Monday night, officials gave the go ahead for people that had evacuated to return as conditions allow.

On Tuesday evening, the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office announced the origin of the Crabapple Fire was a roadside start near the 8700 block of Lower Crabapple Road. The cause is undetermined.

The Fredericksburg Fire/EMS Facebook page will be updated as information becomes available. To learn more about the City of Fredericksburg Fire/EMS, go to FBGTX.org or contact City Hall at (830) 997-7521. 

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