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Hays Co. wildfire threatens subdivision

A smoke plume from a wildfire north of San Marcos was visible from I-35 late Saturday afternoon.
Photo by Erika Aguilar for KUT News
A smoke plume from a wildfire north of San Marcos was visible from I-35 late Saturday afternoon.

UPDATE: 7:55 p.m.:  Authorities on the wildfire burning north of San Marcos are optimistic that rising humidity and dropping temperatures overnight will halt the fire's progress. The fire is about 50 percent contained, but air crews and firefighers will remain on the scene overnight to make sure the blaze doesn't spread. Sunday's forecast is for temperatures over 100 degrees again, with southwesterly winds between 10 and 20 mph.

UPDATE 6:35 p.m.:  The Hays County Sheriff's Department issued this update on the wildfire on Post Road:

South Hays Fire Department is currently working a 5 acre fire off of the 2100 block of Post Road. Mutual aid has been requested from all area fire departments including Air Life helicopter and the Forest Service who has sent their DC10 and other helicopters. The fire is heading northwest and no subdivisions are currently in danger. One residence was initially in danger but the fire did not reach it.  

EARLIER:  Authorities in Hays County say fire crews, helicopters and an air tanker are working on a wildfire just north of the San Marcos city limits.

The Hays County Fire Marshal's office tells KUT News the fire is in the 2300 block of Post Road. A subdivision is about a mile away from the fire, as of 6:15 p.m. Saturday. Six people from two homes have been evacuated, according to San Marcos city spokesperson Melissa Millicam.

Helicopters from San Antonio and Austin are making water drops on fire. Millecam added that a DC-10 air tanker is dropping fire retardant on the blaze.

Ian Crawford joined KUT as News Editor in 2008, after spending over four years as a reporter/anchor at KLBJ Radio in Austin. He began his broadcasting career while still in high school in Southern Oregon. During high school and college at the University of Oregon, he worked at times as a reporter, news anchor, sports play-by-play reporter, music host and commercial producer before moving to Texas in 2003.