BASTROP, Texas — Fire crews made progress Saturday fighting the wildfire, but concerns over still-smoldering hotspots have kept thousands of residents from returning home.
Tensions flared during a news conference Saturday as some residents shouted questions at county officials, demanding to know when they could return to their homes — or what remains of them — in the Bastrop area, about 30 miles east of Austin.
Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald said officials hope to get residents back as soon as possible, but he didn’t know how long that would take.
“This is day seven; tensions are high,” he said.
In Bastrop, officials said Saturday the fire was about 50 percent contained. Authorities also cautioned that the toll from the fires could get worse. The Associated Press
