Rolling Pines Fire Update
January 21, 2022
7:30 pm
 
Size: 812 acres
Containment: 87%
Date Started: January 18, 2022 
Cause: Under Investigation 

Resources have continued to patrol and improve containment lines today. 7.9 miles of containment line has been constructed and secured, with another 1.1 miles of containment line on which crews are continuing to improve. Fire behavior remains low, with scattered heavy down wooden material smoldering. 
 Winds are expected to remain below 10 mph through the evening, with moderate humidity recovery overnight. Leadership is continuing to make tactical decisions keeping weather predictions in mind. 

 The neighborhood that was surrounded by the fire, Pine Hill Estates, is a good example of a community developed in the Wildland Urban Interface or WUI. Fighting fire in the WUI is becoming more common and provides its own set of challenges to firefighters. Wildfires that move out of rural or “wild” areas into the WUI can cause safety hazards from unknown chemicals, objects buried in the ground, and unknown situations around every corner. Due to these hazards, houses are often triaged to ensure firefighter safety when the fire affects these areas. These levels range from Stand Alone, where the house requires no work to be fine, to Rescue Drive By, where it is unsafe for firefighters to stay when the flame front passes and instead must rush in after the flames pass to put out any fires around or on the structure. In Pine Hill Estates many of the structures were classified as Prep and Stay, where firefighters can do some work and it's safe enough to stay, or Prep and Leave, where a little work can be done before firefighters need to move on for safety. Both of these categories are due to the defensible space that individual homeowners have made around their houses. Defensible space is created by removing combustible materials and changing the continuity of fuels so that fire doesn’t have a continuous path to a structure. Cleaning out combustible material from the first five feet around the house has been shown multiple times to increase the likelihood of survivability of a structure. This initial five feet of space can be improved by reducing the amount of flammable material in direct contact with a structure. Past that it is important to remove lower limbs on trees and bushes that connect the ground to the canopy of the trees. Keeping lawns mowed and creating barriers with pathways and stone trails will all work towards creating more defensible space. The efforts of each property owner improves safety for the whole neighborhood, and our firefighters on the Rolling Pines Fire noticed. They were able to stay and protect houses all thanks to defensible space at individual houses.

In the photos below we have some good examples of defensible space from the homes in Pine Hills Estate. Fire stopped in both cases before reaching the structures and values that were spread around them.  
   

 
Rolling Pines Fire Update
January 20, 2022
7:00 pm
 
Size: 812 acres
Containment: 70%
Date Started: January 18, 2022 
Cause: Under Investigation 

Starting tomorrow, updates will move to once a day posting. For more frequent information, please see the Bastrop Office of Emergency Management Facebook page.  
 
Acreage increased today due to the tactical firing operation which took place yesterday afternoon and better mapping in a remote section of the fire near the southwest corner. Resources have continued to patrol and improve containment lines today. 6.2 miles of containment line has been constructed and secured, with another 2.8 miles of containment line on which crews are continuing to improve. Fire behavior remains low, with scattered heavy down wooden material smoldering. 
 Winds are expected to remain above 10 mph through the evening, with lower relative humidity overnight. Leadership is continuing to make tactical decisions keeping weather predictions in mind. 

Command Staff has wanted to extended a well earned thank you to the cooperators that have assisted on this incident. 

State agencies:
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
• Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM)
• Texas A&M Forest Service (TAMFS)
 
  County resources:
• Bastrop County
• Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
• Bastrop County Emergency Services District 1 
• Bastrop County Emergency Services District 2  
• Fayette County
• Bastrop County Long-term Recovery
• Bastrop County Cares
 
 Local fire departments and emergency services:
• Bastrop County Fire
• Lexington Fire
• Winchester Fire
• McDade Fire
• Smithville Fire
• Elgin Fire
• Heart of the Pines Fire
• Blue Volunteer Fire Department
• Acadian Emergency Medical Services
 
 City resources:
• City of Bastrop
• City of Bastrop Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
• Bastrop Independent School District Transportation
 
 Law Enforcement:
• Bastrop County Sherriff
• Bastrop Police Department
• Bastrop Independent School District Police Department
• Bastrop County Judge
• Department of Public Safety (DPS)
 
 Agency leadership and elected officials:
• City of Bastrop Mayor
• State Rep John Cyrier
 
 Electric companies and cooperatives:
• Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)
• Bluebonnet Electric 

Rolling Pines Fire Update
January 20, 2022
10:00
 
Size: 783 acres
Containment: 58%
Date Started: January 18, 2022 
Cause: Under Investigation 
 
Fire leadership gave a detailed morning operational briefing to resources who will continue to work on the Rolling Pines Fire today. Foremost, the containment lines held during the wind event last night. Heavy woody debris that would have continued to smolder and produce smoke for multiple days was more fully consumed overnight due to those higher winds.Night shift patrolled and continued mop up. Day shift will continue that mission, securing containment lines specifically focusing on the southern edge. We have had no reports of injuries or damage to residential structures. All evacuations and public road closures from this fire were lifted by yesterday afternoon. Between local and state resources, there are approximately 190 personnel responding, including fire engines, heavy equipment, law enforcement and overhead. Aviation resources will continue to be available today, staged at ABIA and in Abilene. A plane will fly overhead midmorning to provide increased situational awareness to ground leadership.Please continue to use extreme caution when driving along Highway 21 and in the impacted neighborhoods.

Rolling Pines Fire Update
January 19, 2022
19:00
 
Size: 783 acres
Containment: 58%
Date Started: January 18, 2022 
Cause: Under Investigation 
 
Crews will be working this evening to continue to prepare for the predicted wind shift occurring tonight. Fire personnel are widening and improving containment lines as well as removing vegetation along the southern wildfire perimeter. In addition, incoming crews will remain overnight to patrol and monitor fire conditions. 
In addition, evacuations have been lifted for all areas and Highway 21 is reopened to the through traffic. Residents and citizens are urged to use caution as emergency vehicles will remain in the area. 
 
Evacuations and Closures: The State Park is still experiencing road closures. Park Road 1A is closed from Copperas Creek North to the Park Road 1A/1C Intersection. 
 The state park is closed to day use, though existing reservations are currently being accepted.
 
Damages and Injuries: At this point, no injuries from either the public or first responders have been reported. No confirmed residential structure losses.

Evacuations on the Rolling Pines Fire have been partially lifted. All homes northwest of Highway 21 will be allowed back home immediately. Pine hill estates residents will be allowed back in at 6 pm due to ongoing fireline operations.  

State Highway 21 has been opened to through traffic, but the public is urged to stay out of the area unless they are residents of the communities previously under evacuation order. 

Citizens are urged to be cautious on the roadways as there will still be emergency vehicles in the area throughout the evening and into tomorrow.  

Evacuations on the Rolling Pines Fire have been partially lifted. All homes northwest of Highway 21 will be allowed back home immediately. Pine hill estates residents will be allowed back in at 6 pm due to ongoing fireline operations.  

Emergency personnel remain in the area through the night. Crews have been focusing today on preparing the southern edge of the fire for the expected wind shift. 

Smoke will continue to be visible. 

Please use caution when returning home and traveling through the area.

Highway 21 will be closed to through traffic beginning Hwy 21 and South Shore Road to Hwy 21 and 1441.

Park Road 1A is closed from Copperas Creek North to the Park Road 1A/1C Intersection. Park Road 1C is closed from Park Road 1A/1C intersection to Harmon Road.  

The state park is closed to day use, though existing reservations are currently being accepted. 

Rolling Pines Fire Update
January 19, 2022
9:00 am

Size: 783 acres
Containment: 30%
Date Started: January 18, 2022
 
Cause: Under Investigation 

Fireline leadership reported greatly moderated fire behavior overnight. Good progress made overnight with both bulldozer created containment lines and patrol and mop up operations using engine crews.
 
High overnight humidity recoveries and low winds will allow firefighters to continue with those operations today. A wind shift from the north is expected late this afternoon.

Highway 21 and all areas currently under evacuation remain closed. Both electric and fire crews are working to mitigate safety concerns before evacuations can be lifted.  The shelter in Elgin remains open to evacuated residents who need food and shelter.
 The fire is holding along Power Plant Road and along Highway 21. No active fire has been reported inside the Circle D or Pine Hill Estates subdivisions.

Evacuations and Closures Evacuations are still in place for the following areas: Power Plant Road, Pine Tree Loop, Lisa Lane, Linda Lane, Porter Road, KC Drive, Hill Crest Drive, Pinedale Drive, Pinehollow Drive, Wildwood Drive, Boren Lane, Pinehill Drive. Residents living on East and West Kelley Road and North to FM 1441 may return to their homes. Drive carefully and beware of smoke in the area. Entrance to these areas will be via FM 1441 as Hwy 21 will continue to have roadblocks in place. 

Damages and Injuries At this point, no injuries from either the public or first responders have been reported. No confirmed residential structure losses.