SAN ANTONIO – A wind-driven brush fire that ignited from a controlled burn near Applewhite Road and Silver Mountain Drive in Far South Bexar County is now 90% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Silver Mountain fire 90% contained, scorches over 300 acres
The agency also revised its estimate of the fire’s footprint, reducing the burned acreage from 300 to 262 as of Wednesday evening.
The blaze began around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, when a scheduled burn rapidly blew out of control and began threatening nearby vehicles and homes, said Mark Montgomery, assistant fire chief with Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 2.
As flames spread across dry brush and smoke billowed into the sky, residents in the area were forced to evacuate with little warning.
Among them was Richard Gallego, who said he became frantic after being unable to reach his pregnant daughter, who was home alone as the fire drew closer. In an interview, Mr. Gallego described the panic and confusion he felt after encountering a roadblock and receiving little guidance from law enforcement.
“There was no direction, no way to get to her,” he said. “We didn’t know what was going on — we were just trying to keep our families safe.”
No injuries were reported as of Wednesday night.