From staff reports
Austin firefighters extinguished a large backyard fire that damaged a neighboring garage Sunday evening.
Matthew Sturm, 21, reported a large leaf and grass fire about 10 p.m. at his home at 1912 Sixth Ave. N.E., police Capt. Curt Rude said. The blaze melted the siding on a garage next door, he said.
Sturm said he had been raking leaves into a recreational fire he started in a pit, Rude said. It eventually spread out of control.
Rude didn't have damage estimates.
