A wildfire sparked by a lightning strike is continuing to burn through a remote bird sanctuary near Port Bolivar, according to updates from the Port Bolivar Volunteer Fire Department.
The blaze, located between Loop 108 and Highway 87, was first reported Friday evening and has since scorched an estimated 160 acres of brush and marshland as of Sunday. Fire crews say the area is difficult to access and far from any structures or homes, which are not currently at risk.
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“This is the location where the fire is—out there in the bird sanctuary,” the fire department wrote on Facebook. “As of 11 o’clock, about 21 acres had burned. Now that estimate is closer to 160 acres.”
By Sunday night, PBVFD reported that an area that had nearly burned out had “lit up again,” adding, “It’s going to be a long watching night.”
Officials say the fire is too remote to reach directly, and crews are currently monitoring the situation closely, allowing it to burn out naturally unless it threatens to spread further. No evacuations have been ordered.
The fire is burning near land managed by the Houston Audubon Society, which protects several High Island sanctuaries critical to bird migration. The organization’s sanctuaries are home to nearly 400 documented species and serve as an essential habitat during spring and fall migrations.
The Port Bolivar Volunteer Fire Department continues to monitor the situation and will release more updates as conditions evolve.