San Antonio Wildfires Barely Miss AAA Storage Facilities

Wild fires are burning rampantly in Texas. A 1,700 acre fire near Alto has tenuously been contained. The Texas Forest Service has fought 110 new fires just this past week. Over 9,000 acres have been burned across the state. Thirteen helicopters and seventeen air attack aircraft and lead planes have flown over 1,800 hours and have dropped more than 5.5 million gallons of water and fire retardant. The Texas Army National Guard has used eleven Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters to assist in fighting the fire.

Through all of the fire and damage, AAA Storage facilities in Texas have remained unscathed. The six facilities in San Antonio have escaped damage. However, fire came to within three miles of one unit near Camp Bullis. 

"You can't see the fire, but you can still smell smoke," says AAA Storage Property Manager Michelle Graham. Although many fled the area for safer ground, Michelle refused to leave the property until evacuation was imminent. Michelle was determined to protect the facility and prepared to contact the owners if the property was in direct threat. ASRM has continued to monitor the status of the fire to ensure that the property and contents are safe.

The fire chief of San Antonio said that the city is a tinderbox. There have been several factors that have been significant in causing these fires. There have been record drought condition and record high temperatures. Additionally, new suburban developments that have been built in recent years have left areas of brush and natural growth near homes.

There have been six major grass fires in Bexar County (the county where San Antonio is located) in the last seven days. Over 125 acres have been burned. The outlook for the fire condition will remain high throughout the fall season because the drought is expected to get worse. Ninety-five percent of the state is in an extreme drought condition and 81 percent is in the highest drought category.

AAA Storage acknowledges that they have been fortunate that the fires have not burned any of their facilities. They express their condolences to families who have lost members and homes due to the horrific wildfires.