AUSTIN (KXAN) — Labor Day weekend, 15 years ago, a wildfire that would become the most destructive in state history sparked just outside of Austin.
MAP: Where have wildfires burned in Central Texas in 2026?
The Bastrop County Complex Fire started on Sept. 4, 2011. It burned for 55 days, during which it spread across more than 32,000 acres, destroyed over 1,600 homes and killed two people, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 2 said in a Facebook post marking the 15th anniversary that the wildfire “remains an important part of our history and a reminder of our mission.”
How the 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fire shaped how firefighters respond today
The ESD said the fire started during an unprecedented drought and grew rapidly under extreme heat and strong winds.
“The fire demonstrated how quickly extreme weather, drought, heavy fuels, and a growing wildland-urban interface can come together to create a devastating wildfire. It showed us that wildfire preparedness cannot begin when the fire starts—it must begin long before the first smoke is visible,” the post read in part.
‘It was raining fire’: Recovery continues 10 years after Bastrop wildfires
The ESD said that since the fire, it has “continued to build upon those lessons” through increased wildland fire training, specialized equipment, fuels mitigation, interagency coordination, public outreach and the development of a dedicated Wildfire Division.
Impact on the Lost Pines
The wildfire affected 96% of the 6,565-acre Bastrop State Park, significantly impacting the Lost Pines ecosystem, according to TPWD, which said it would take a generation or more for the Lost Pines to recover…