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CURATED TEXAS HISTORICAL RECORD

Bastrop County Complex Fire — 2011

The Bastrop County Complex burned through the Lost Pines region during the exceptional 2011 Texas wildfire season. Texas A&M Forest Service later documented 32,400 acres burned, widespread extreme fire intensity, and a 37-day duration.

Area burned32,400 acresTexas A&M Forest Service restoration account
Extreme intensity75%Share of the burned area described at extreme fire intensity
Homes destroyed1,660Texas A&M Forest Service count
Fire duration37 daysDocumented operational duration
GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE

Where this record is anchored

Reference points identify Bastrop and Bastrop State Park. They do not reproduce the historical fire perimeter or structure-loss locations.

WHY THIS EVENT MATTERS

A defining Texas disaster record

Texas A&M Forest Service describes the event as the most devastating wildfire in Texas history when measured by structures lost. The fire also began a long-running public-land and forest-restoration effort.

Historical—not currentThis page preserves a completed event. For present conditions, return to the statewide watch and current official sources.View current Texas conditions
VERIFIED EVENT SEQUENCE

What happened

Condensed from the official records linked below.

  1. Complex begins

    Wildfires ignited over Labor Day weekend amid extreme drought, heat, dry fuels, and strong winds.

  2. Lost Pines impacts

    The complex burned homes, businesses, forests, and park lands across Bastrop County.

  3. Extended fire period

    Texas A&M Forest Service reports that the fire burned for 37 days.

  4. Restoration continues

    State and partner agencies continued restoring the distinctive Lost Pines ecosystem after suppression ended.

EVIDENCE BOUNDARY

What this record does—and does not—show

The reference map is not a historical perimeter. Acreage and structure totals reflect the cited Texas A&M Forest Service account and may differ from preliminary incident reports produced while the fire was active.

OFFICIAL SOURCE LEDGER

Verify the historical record

2 official sources
Texas A&M Forest ServiceBastrop — A Story of Wildfire and RestorationFinal acreage, fire intensity, structure loss, duration, and restorationTexas A&M Forest ServiceTexas Wildland Fuel Model GuideHistorical context and structure-loss significance
Texas Hazard Watch summarizes these sources for navigation and comparison. The linked agencies remain authoritative.