Wildfire forces Oak Grove residents to evacuate; Crews combating blaze

SAN MARCOS, Texas – As the wildfire rages in San Marcos, residents like Richard Aubrey find themselves caught in a predicament. With concern etched on his face, Aubrey ponders his options, “It’s life, what am I supposed to do, you know? I don’t want to burn up. So my daughter is in Dripping Springs. We can always go there. She has a brand-new house. I’m sure she would be happy to have the sheep in the backyard.”

Aubrey is just one of many residents who have been forced to hastily pack their belongings due to the relentless wildfire. The threat looms large, and as Aubrey explains, “We are loaded up. If the fire gets to our fence in the back, we are out of here.”

The emergency call came in at approximately 1:30 p.m., alerting authorities to the fire in the 200 block of Oak Grove Road. Offering insights into the origin of the blaze, Walter Flocke, the Texas A&M Forest Service PIO, shares, “The fire started near Oak Grove Road and is burning north.”

Efforts are now underway to tackle the fire head-on. Faced with a daunting task, officials are leaving no stone unturned to contain the inferno and curtail its spread. “We have many assets on scene here at the fire right now, including Texas A&M Forest Service in unified command with Hays County units from Travis County. We also have aviation assets working with us and heavy equipment assets working with us,” Flocke reveals.

It isn’t all just property at stake; the lives of residents are also under threat. Nearly 60 homes in the affected area hang in the balance as the fire continues its relentless march. As Flocke informs, “Currently, The Promise Land church is established as a shelter. I believe they are working on getting a second shelter on the Wimberley side.”

For Aubrey, the repercussions extend beyond material possessions. With a sense of relief and a glimmer of hope, he shares, “I’ve got everything that counts right here. Vineyards don’t burn very well. That is the good news, so we just harvested over five tons of fruit. It’s at the winery now, but it’s the living things that you have to worry about.”

While the community grapples with the devastating situation, authorities are working tirelessly to ascertain the cause of the fire. Investigations are still underway as residents await answers and hope for a swift resolution to their collective nightmare.