Williamson County Crews Battle Fast-Growing, 100-Acre Grass Fire

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Williamson County sheriff's deputies were helping fight a fast-growing grass fire consuming up to 100 acres of fields in nearby Florence, Texas, on Sunday.

The conflagration prompted evacuations of residents along County Road 220 and Texas 138. The fire started just before 3 p.m. on Sunday, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office wrote via Twitter.

Multiple emergency agencies descended on the scene to help battle the fire which, at last check, was about 80 percent extinguished. No damage to homes has been reported.

Despite intermittent rainfall in recent weeks, the level of precipitation hasn't been enough to end drought conditions throughout the region. Despite such dry conditions, County Judge Dan A. Gattis lifted a burn ban that had been in place in unincorporated parts of the county on Feb. 6. The burn ban had been implemented before Gattis lifted it last week had been in place to discourage outdoor burning that could spark fires. It's unknown, however, what may have caused the blaze on Sunday that ravaged between 75 to 100 acres.

In announcing his lifting of the burn ban via a press advisory, Gattis issued a series of tips for those intent on conducting controlled burns:

"Please contact your local fire department – Some fire departments may require a burn permit."

"Please call and report your control burn to Williamson County Communications at (512) 864-8282. Williamson County Communications should be able to inform you of any burning restrictions that Williamson County Communications has been made aware of and that may exist."

Florence is about 28 miles north of Round Rock and some 32 miles from Cedar Park-Leander.

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