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TPWD outlines planned prescribed burns at Bastrop State Park, schedules community meeting
Summary
Texas Parks and Wildlife officials described plans for prescribed fire to restore the Lost Pines ecosystem, announced a June 23 community meeting, listed partner agencies and smoke‑management measures, and said burns are planned for fall and winter 2025–26.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Lost Pines park staff told the Bastrop City Council on Tuesday they plan to use prescribed fire to reduce hazardous fuels, restore the native loblolly pine ecosystem, and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
Nathaniel Gold, park superintendent for the Lost Pines State Park Complex, said the work is part of commitments made after the Rolling Pines wildfire and subsequent facilitated learning analysis. He described the Lost Pines as "a rare fire‑dependent loblolly pine and post oak woodland" and said prescribed fire is an ecological necessity there.
Gold said the department will host a public meeting at the Bastrop County Community Center on June 23 from 6–8 p.m. to share plans and hear from residents. He said burns would follow written burn plans, use interagency crews from TPWD, Texas A&M Forest Service, Bastrop Fire Department and Bastrop County Emergency Services District 2, and that smoke‑management measures and advance notifications are part of the plan.
Wade Powell, fire and habitat management coordinator at the Lost Pines, told the council contingency and standby resources will be scaled to conditions and staffing; early burns will have high levels of staffing and partners often request active roles. Gold and Powell said the department will use an opt‑in text notification system (Everbridge), provide signage and outreach, and avoid ignition under conditions that would concentrate smoke over sensitive areas and major highways.
Gold said the department will monitor outcomes using long‑term vegetation plots and post‑burn transects to measure whether fuel and ecological objectives were met. Council members raised questions about on‑site contingency resources, 911 call handling, and how residents will be notified; staff said they had discussed coordination with county emergency management and would follow up on rollover 911 procedures.
Why this matters: Prescribed fire is a common ecological and hazard‑reduction tool in fire‑adapted landscapes, but it raises local concerns about smoke, traffic, and response resources. TPWD framed the planned burns as both an ecological restoration and a public‑safety measure aimed at preventing large, uncontrolled wildfires.
No regulatory action was required of the council at the meeting; TPWD requested public engagement and said it will supply an FAQ and keep city staff informed.
