This story has been updated.
If you’ve smelled smoke across San Antonio this week, you’re not imagining it — but San Antonio Fire Department officials say there’s no active fire threatening the area.
The odor is coming from a mulch fire that started Sunday evening at a recycling facility near Nelson Road in Southwest Bexar County. While firefighters were able to contain the flames that night, the fire didn’t fully go away.
Instead, it settled into something harder to eliminate: smoldering.
Mulch fires can burn deep below the surface, holding heat for days even after flames are knocked down. That means smoke can continue to seep out — and when the wind shifts, that smell can travel.
Joe Arrington, public information officer for the SAFD, said that’s what’s happening now in a statement provided to the San Antonio Report.
As winds changed direction this week, smoke from the site has been pushed north toward San Antonio, leading to a noticeable odor across parts of the city.
Fire crews monitored the scene through Monday before clearing it, confirming the fire was contained and no longer at risk of spreading. A follow-up inspection Thursday afternoon found no active flames and no threat to nearby schools or structures.
Still, some smoldering remains underground — which officials say is expected.
“As is typical with mulch fires, some residual smoking remains beneath the surface and can increase with any sort of disturbance,” the statement read.
Those disturbances can include wind, pile separation or a wet-down — the thorough soaking of the burning pile with water. While the wind shifted the smell into the San Antonio area, Arrington said a change in wind direction has also improved smoke conditions.
Local agencies have received multiple calls about the smell, particularly in Southwest Bexar County and surrounding areas.
Southwest ISD officials said in a statement to parents on Friday, that they are aware of the smoke and are monitoring conditions, but no health-related issues have been reported among students or staff. To address concerns, some campuses may keep students indoors if the smell becomes stronger.
While the city’s fire department is handling the situation, the Bexar County Fire Department in Emergency Service District 2 put out a similar statement on Facebook regarding the odor of smoke. The department said local area fire departments have been notified multiple times and that the smell is likely to continue as the smoldering material dissipates over the next few days.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said it is conducting odor surveys in response to the incident and directed concerns to its online guidance on smoke exposure and health impacts.
The City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said smoke from the fire may affect air quality in some communities.
“Young children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory conditions should limit outdoor activities,” the agency said in a statement on Friday afternoon. “Those with asthma or breathing difficulties are encouraged to stay indoors if smoke is in their neighborhood.”
Metro Health encouraged residents to monitor local conditions over the next few days and limit exposure when smoke is present.
