A burning pile of mulch XIV

More good news on the Helotes mulch fire: though another well was found to be contaminated, the firefighting efforts continue, and the majority of the fire is put out.

Details from Jerry Needham of the Express-News:

Greg Flores, spokesman for SAWS, said the smoky water was discovered as part of stepped-up monitoring activities agreed upon by the two agencies in an effort to protect the drinking water supply for 1.7 million people in the region.

[Texas Commission on Environmental Quality communications director Andy] Saenz said firefighters have made "tremendous progress" since resuming operations on Feb. 12. TCEQ seized control of the pile and hired contractors to extinguish the blaze on Jan. 9.

"The latest estimate we have is that we are between 60 percent and 70 percent extinguished, so we are right on track if not maybe a little bit ahead of schedule to put this thing out," he said, adding that the schedule calls for having it doused by
March 5.

By the way, the winds must have been blowing my way (southeast of Helotes) today, because I could smell that fire all day long.