Wind-driven wildfire destroys 3 homes, vehicles along Atascosa-Bexar line. No injuries. Cause under investigation as families displaced and crews battle hotspots.
ATASCOSA COUNTY, Texas — A fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire destroyed multiple homes and vehicles Thursday afternoon along the Atascosa-Bexar County line, displacing families and leaving behind widespread damage.
The fire was reported around 1:45 p.m. in the 100 block of Way Cross Road, where Ata-Bexar and Leming volunteer fire departments were first dispatched for a grass fire. Within minutes, the situation escalated into a large, multi-agency response.
Crews from Pleasanton, Poteet and Bexar County Emergency Services Districts 2, 5 and 10 responded, along with San Antonio’s Wildland Strike Team.
“We actually stepped out of our fire station, looked through the front door and saw a large column of black smoke,” said Jeremy Trevino, assistant fire chief with the Ata-Bexar County Line Volunteer Fire Department.
Fueled by strong winds blowing north-northeast at 20 to 25 mph, the fire spread rapidly. When crews arrived, two structures were already on fire, and flames quickly extended to nearby properties.
“This was a large-scale incident,” Trevino said.
In total, three properties were impacted. Officials said about seven acres burned, destroying three homes, seven vehicles and an RV. Several vehicles were also lost.
No residents were injured, though two firefighters were evaluated by EMS for overheating.
As of Thursday evening, crews were still working to extinguish hot spots.
For James Andrews, the fire’s impact was immediate and personal. He said he was at work when he got the call.
“[My mom] told me the fire was coming towards the house,” Andrews said.
He rushed home to find his mother in distress down the street as crews battled the fast-moving fire.
“She was basically in hysterics. She was crying, she was not in the right place. I stayed with her the entire time,” he said.
A couple of hours later, Andrews said he returned to his home to find nothing left.
“I walked over here, saw the smoldering remains of both houses,” he said.
Andrews said his neighbor also lost her home but made it out safely.
While the official cause remains under investigation, Andrews believes the fire may have started in a neighbor’s backyard near an out-of-service well that still had power.
“I know there was a fire back by the well that spread this way,” he said.
The fire comes nearly one year after the Duke Fire burned just blocks away, forcing evacuations in the same area.
“Last year’s fire came a lot closer,” said neighbors Thomas and Mary Sowell, who live about two blocks from Thursday’s fire.
The couple said they began receiving calls from church members warning them the fire was moving toward their neighborhood.
“Everybody that phoned us made it sound like it was headed for our house,” Thomas said.
Despite the fear, they focused on helping others.
“We just wanted to check on this lady right here,” Mary added.
They say while no lives were lost, the impact is still devastating.
“Thank God there’s no casualties, but at the same time there are casualties because they lost their home. They lost everything they own,” said Thomas.
The American Red Cross responded to assist displaced families, including Andrews and his mother, who may stay with friends for the time being.
Trevino said fire crews remain busy at the start of 2026, raising concerns as dry conditions persist.
“At this time last year, we were sitting at 57 incidents. This year, we’re pretty busy,” he said.
He urged residents to take precautions, including clearing debris from roofs and properties, removing flammable materials like tire piles and ensuring driveways are accessible for emergency vehicles.
“If you want to burn, call the fire marshal’s office for guidance, have a water source nearby and always have a responsible adult present,” Trevino said.
He also noted that burning tires on some properties contributed to heavy smoke and made the fire more difficult to control.
Officials say Atascosa County is not currently under a burn ban, but that could change as fire danger increases.