The 2011 Fire Still Shapes Lost Pines Home Sense

The Bastrop County Complex Fire began on September 4, 2011. TPWD says it burned about 32,000 acres over 55 days, destroyed more than 1,600 homes, killed two people, and affected 96 percent of Bastrop State Park. Firefighters were able to protect the park's historic Civilian Conservation Corps structures.

That history explains a bit of everyday home sense in the Lost Pines. Texas A&M Forest Service says a house can ignite from direct flame or from embers carried ahead of a fire. Its home-preparation guidance starts close in: clear leaves and needles from the roof, gutters, deck, and porch, then look at dry fuel and branches around the house.

For a property-level look, the Forest Service points owners to the Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal. Before any outdoor burn, check the current county burn-ban map and local conditions. A green map today is not a promise about next week.