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Second fire in Llano County reaches 1,200 acres, now 100 percent contained

This is the second large fire in the Llano County area this week.

LLANO COUNTY, Texas — Firefighters have contained a nearly 680-acre fire in Blanco County, and finally on July 24 contained another that reached about 1,200 acres.

The second fire started sometime between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. July 18 near County Road 308 and Highway 71. Llano County officials were asking for the public's help Thursday morning after they ran out of gas for their fire-fighting vehicles. They needed 500 gallons of fuel. By 7:30 a.m., the Llano County Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook that their "gas needs are met."

The crews ran out of gas to power equipment that were running overnight. The fire is located about 20 miles form the nearest gas station.

Officials with Texas A&M Forest Unit said at a press conference at the Llano County Courthouse that something as simple as a spark can cause a huge problem.

"These tall grasses that are about knee high, it just takes one spark and it can take off," said Jake Gosschalk with the Texas A&M Forest Unit.

RELATED:

Blanco County fire estimated to be nearly 800 acres, 20 percent contained, officials say

No homes or buildings have been lost in the fire, Llano County officials said.

The fire is located about 14.5 miles away from the Smith-West fire, which has burned nearly 800 acres since it broke out on July 17.

We put together a map that shows roughly how many acres the two fires have burned relative to the City of Austin:

Credit: Google Maps
Firefighters are battling two large fires west of Austin. The first fire is estimated to be 775 acres while the second fire is estimated to be 1,800 acres. We put together a map that shows roughly how many acres these fires have burned.

"Fighting wildfire in Texas in the summer is brutal," Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson Kari Hines told KVUE.

Hines said dry conditions and rough terrain have made it difficult for firefighters to put the fire out.

"There's some very difficult areas to reach back there, and that's why we have bulldozers and air resources helping," she said.

And the heat isn't helping either. At a press conference Thursday, the Llano County judge said that it's been eight to 10 months since they have received substantial rain. She said even a cigarette or fireworks could start a fire.

"Trying to stay cool when it's 108 degrees out is rough. We're all about firefighter safety, making sure they're taking enough breaks, making sure they're staying hydrated," she said.

Firefighters from around Central Texas have been taking breaks at a makeshift rest area near where the fire began. Volunteers have dropped off food and water to keep them going.

Hines said a cause has not yet been determined for either wildfire.

Officials advise residents in the area to not drag chains, to keep trees trimmed, to keep grass mowed and to know where propane tanks are.

A burn ban was implemented for Llano County, officials said.

"With forecasted temperatures over 100 degrees for the next week, fuels will continue to dry and increase fire danger. We ask the public to be to be careful with any open flames while outdoors. Have a water source available when welding or grinding and check trailer chains when hauling trailers," officials said.

All crews had cleared the scene by July 24. Local volunteer fire departments will respond to any flare ups that may occur.

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