AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Smoke and hazy skies could be seen across much of Austin Saturday afternoon as a fast-growing wildfire near Fredericksburg continued to burn.
As of Saturday night, the Texas A&M Forest Service said the Crabapple Fire had burned more than 8,600 acres, with 0% containment.
Austin Fire officials said its dispatchers received multiple 911 calls Saturday afternoon, with smoke from the fire being blown towards the I-35 corridor by strong westerly winds.
Officials in Gillespie County said that winds were starting to subside in an update late Saturday evening.
"Thankfully, the wind has subsided in the Texas Hill Country and our crews are working to stop the forward progress of the Crabapple Fire," Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell said in a statement. "Our team will continue work throughout the night, including monitoring FM 1631 to make sure the fire doesn't progress."
Part of that work is controlling embers from the fire - which Bizzell said have been flying up to half a mile and creating more fires in the area.
Evacuees were being directed towards Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, located at 426 W. Main Street.