Fredericksburg, Texas – The Fredericksburg Fire/EMS Department in conjunction with crews from across the county, region and state are working to contain the Nebo Mountain Fire as of Tuesday night.
As of its latest update, the Texas A&M Forest Service reports the fire has impacted an estimated 500 acres and is 25% contained. The fire remains primarily situated between Exxon Road and Legion Creek Road in the northern part of Gillespie County.
The incident began at approximately 2:17 PM near 662 Exxon Road, about 16 miles north of Fredericksburg along State Highway 16 and five miles northwest of Willow City.
“We have more than 20 apparatus on the ground from Fredericksburg, Willow City, Harper, Doss, Tierra Linda, Stonewall, Alamo Springs, Llano and several other mutual‑aid partners working side‑by‑side on suppression and structure protection,” Fire/EMS Chief Lynn Bizzell said. “Strong south winds pushed this fire quickly toward the Nebo Mountain area, but crews have kept it south of Legion Creek Road.”
“The terrain out here is steep and difficult to access,” Bizzell added. “Because of that, we relied on Texas A&M Forest Service aircraft earlier today to slow the fire’s spread, and our ground crews will continue to work through the night to increase containment and stop the forward progression.”
Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones has issued a declaration of disaster, authorizing necessary emergency actions including evacuations, road closures and controlled access.
Fire behavior may moderate slightly overnight due to higher humidity, but gusty winds—between 10–20 mph at lower elevations and up to 30 mph on slopes—remain a concern.
Additional brush trucks, dozers and specialized equipment from the Texas A&M Forest Service are on scene or en route. Despite the size of the fire, at this time there have been no reported evacuations ordered, no structures lost and Highway 16 remains open. Local impacts are currently limited to the immediate area along Exxon Road and Hohmann Road.
Local law enforcement continues to communicate with nearby residents and support ground operations. Community members in the vicinity are urged to avoid the area, remain alert to instructions from emergency personnel and be prepared to evacuate should conditions change.
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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