Firefighters were working Monday to contain a large grass fire burning in southeast Travis County near Mustang Ridge, with police saying the flames had spread across roughly 75 acres as helicopters dropped water overhead and bulldozers cut fire lines on the ground.
The Mustang Ridge Police Department described the blaze as a “large grass fire,” according to KXAN Austin, which reported that fire crews were working the fire in the 9000 block of Evelyn Road. Police told the station the fire covered about 75 acres as crews scrambled to keep it from spreading further.
Two key routes were shut down as the response unfolded. Evelyn Road at Toll 130 was closed because of the fire, and Bock at Caldvis Road was closed at 2:49 p.m., per the same report. Department of Public Safety and STAR Flight helicopters were dispatched to the scene and began dropping water on the flames, with dozers arriving shortly after 3 p.m. to push the fire line, the station's report notes.
Aerial and Ground Crews Team Up on the Blaze
The combination of aircraft and heavy equipment mirrors how crews handled a separate 75-acre brush fire that had burned off State Highway 130 in Travis County. That fire was first reported around 11:05 a.m. in the 14200-14525 block of the highway's northbound side, according to Daily Dispatch. Firefighters from Travis County ESD No. 2, Travis County ESD No. 12, the Austin Fire Department and STAR Flight all responded, with crews using dozers to help contain the fire while STAR Flight attacked the head of the blaze from the air, the outlet reported. Forward progress on that fire had been stopped by 12:20 p.m., and no structures were impacted and no injuries were reported.
Mustang Ridge has seen more than one brush fire this year. An overnight 5-acre brush fire in the area was likely caused by fireworks, police told CBS Austin. That fire broke out between a Thursday night and the following Friday morning near Elm Grove and Old Lockhart Roads, and fire crews were able to quickly put the flames out with no structures involved, according to the station.
Earlier Fire Near City Limits
Back on February 8, 2026, the Mustang Ridge Police Department said it was responding to a grass fire on northbound 183 near Schuelke Road, just outside the city limits, CBS Austin reported at the time.
KXAN sent a photojournalist to the scene of Monday's fire as crews continued working to bring the blaze under control.
