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The Crabapple fire north of Fredericksburg was 100% contained on Friday after burning for nearly 150 hours.
The fire burned 9,858 acres and destroyed nine residences and several other buildings.
Fredericksburg Fire EMS reported on Facebook on Thursday that the blaze — which the Texas A&M Forest Service titled the Crabapple Fire — originated on the roadside near Crabapple Road, about 11 miles north of Fredericksburg, around 1 p.m. on Saturday.
“The coordinated efforts of our crews, regional partners, state agencies and federal resources led us to this point,” Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell said, as quoted in a statement.
He added: “Although this fire may be contained, our hearts continue to go out to the people that lost homes, property and livestock. Our area is still in extreme drought conditions, so we ask everyone to please be vigilant of anything that may start another fire.”
Officials warned that Gillespie County and the Texas Hill Country remains in extreme drought and at risk for fires.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined.
Social media and news reports in recent days were filled with dramatic and tragic stories and images of smoke-filled horizons, brightly colored fires contrasting with the brown and gray landscapes they consumed and left behind, and aircraft soaring over the flames, dropping red chemicals or brownish water onto the inferno.
Leo Tynan has a home near Enchanted Rock Road and saw portions of the fire as it spread: "The wind was probably carrying embers a good distance out ahead of it. You could see literally explosions along the horizon when it would hit into dense cedar areas where the trees would just explode."
