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Mainly clear skies. Low around 75F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..
Mainly clear skies. Low around 75F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
A wildfire near Florence burns cedar trees Monday evening near the property of Bobby Shelton.
Emergency vehicles respond to a brush fire near Florence Monday evening.
A wildfire near Florence burns cedar trees Monday evening near the property of Bobby Shelton.
A brush fire near Florence burned about 90 acres and threatened homes Monday evening, officials said.
For Bobby Shelton, the retired Florence Fire Department fire chief, the flames got a little too close for comfort.
He said the fire spread to dry cedar trees about 150 feet from his property, shooting up 70-foot tall flames.
“It’s pretty scary,” he said.
The 90-acre fire on County Road 220 in Florence, about 25 miles south of Killeen, was contained within three hours after it was reported at 7:08 p.m. Monday, Williamson County Emergency Services officials said.
Smoke from the fire was seen just after 7 p.m. Monday on the west side of Florence city limits.
Emergency vehicles respond to a brush fire near Florence Monday evening.
Williamson County spokeswoman Connie Odom said the fire was “100% contained” Monday night, and crews were still putting out hot spots inside the fire line on Tuesday.
She said no structures were damaged, and homes and businesses near the fire were temporarily evacuated.
The “Florence Fire Dept. will determine the cause of the fire,” Odom said in response to Herald questions.
“Multiple fire departments including Florence, Coupland, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Round Rock, Hutto, ESD 5, Pflugerville, Burnet, Star Flight and Texas Forest Service, as well as Williamson County Emergency Services, Sheriff’s Office and Florence Police responded. No injuries reported,” according to Williamson County Emergency Services.
Shelton said the Florence area is extremely dry, and the fire danger will likely continue for months ahead.
“We have not gotten a real good rainfall in the Florence area since December,” Shelton said. “People have to be extremely careful when they do anything outside.”
jbrooks@kdhnews.com | 254-501-7468
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