SAN ANTONIO – Updated at 11:11 a.m., Wednesday
A San Antonio city official said Tuesday night that residents are allowed to return to their homes in an area where a brush fire raged earlier in the day.
The fire was initially reported near Interstate 37 and Southton Road, which is located south of Loop 410.
TransGuide captured some of the fire on its camera on Tuesday afternoon.
As of 9:17 a.m. Wednesday, the Interstate 37 and Southton Road fire — also known as the “Calaveras Fire” — is approximately 85% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
While the fire is now considered “contained,” the city said Wednesday that San Antonio fire crews are maintaining watch at the site of the fire for any potential flare-ups.
The city and county’s response to the fire
A City of San Antonio official confirmed to KSAT earlier Tuesday that San Antonio Fire Department and Bexar County Emergency Services Districts (ESD) firefighters responded to the scene.
In a Tuesday afternoon social media post, Bexar County officials issued evacuation orders for an area of south Bexar County affected by the grass fire.
According to the county, the evacuation order was in effect for “approximately 30 homes” in an area located east of Interstate 37.
Specifically, the county said the affected area stretched up north to U.S. Highway 181, west to Donop Road, south to Southton Road and east to Streich Road.
A message was inadvertently sent to the entire County regarding evacuation from a grass fire. The evacuation order is…
Posted byBexar County, Texas – Government
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San Antonio Fire Chief Valerie Frausto provided an update to reporters on the grass fire just after 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.
“If you live in this area, stay away for now or to go to the evacuation shelter because with the wind speed, it’s very difficult to determine the direction of the fire and if it’s going to spread or not,” Frausto said. “It always has a potential.”
Leon Valley Fire Chief Michael Naughton joined KSAT’s livestream coverage of multiple fires on Tuesday afternoon to discuss how firefighters battle wind-assisted fires.
Naughton’s full interview can be seen below.
KSAT reached out to the East Central Independent School District on Tuesday. The district said “no campuses are in immediate danger” and classes are continuing as normal.
The district also said employees were evacuated from an East Central ISD facility as a precaution.
No students were impacted by that facility’s evacuation, the district told KSAT.
A temporary shelter was established for evacuees at the fellowship hall inside the Mission San Francisco De La Espada Catholic Church located at 10040 Espada Road.
In a Tuesday night statement, the city said 182 homes were evacuated as a result of the fire. Some hot spots remain, but winds have begun to wind down, officials said.
First responders have reopened the affected area for residents to return home. The city said a mobile home, two barns, two chicken coops and a shed were lost in the 60-acre fire.
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