Texas Heat!

[NativeSon]

There are several fires burning in central Texas, the Leander fire, the Spicewood fire, The Steiner Ranch Fire, Perdernales Bend fire, a second fire (Union Chapel fire - 750 acres) near the Bastrop fire and others. Each have detroyed dozens of homes and burned hundreds to thousands of acres. Here are the active incidents from the Texas Forest Service:

Fire Activity

When you click on the fire it will give you the name and number of acres and % contained.

The winds are calm now and are expected to stay below 10 mph. Hopefully there will be containment today.

,

Don, Thanks for the link to look up the fires. That really gives you some prospective on the state wide effect we are looking at.

Our Prayers are with all who are having to face this.

Charlie

 

[txdon]

A cool 68 degrees here Jim, a perfect fall day, except for the fires.
The large Bastrop fire still 0% contained, 30,000 acres burned/burning, 600 homes destroyed.

 

[mikim]

A cool 68 degrees here Jim, a perfect fall day, except for the fires.
The large Bastrop fire still 0% contained, 30,000 acres burned/burning, 600 homes destroyed.

But not mine so far. Came home this a.m. and we're still OK. Not to say it will stay that way. Going to try to drive around a bit (as far as they'll let me) to get a better idea of where it's at from me and what level of watchfulness we need to stay at. Vehicles remain loaded and ready to fly if needed. We stayed with wife's dad last night. If we have to evac farther we need to take him with us anyway. He's 90 as of Aug 12. Don - is there a site that gives a detailed map of the fire? everything I've seen thus far is too general....I have some experience with county EOC ....and so far Bastrop gets a big red F from me as in miserable failure in the area of public information dissemination. They setup 2 ....count 'em ....2 phone lines for everyone to call to get a recorded message of fire info ....really? thats it???? terrible.

 

[Bird]

Glad to hear from you, Mike. Glad it's missed you so far, and hope that continues to be the case. 52 degrees here this morning; just beautiful weather for us, if it just weren't so dry.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

It would be nice if they could give us a map with a rough outline (updated every 4 hours) and also give the wind speed and direction. And, if someone could give a rough outline of predicted paths. This would give EOC/LEO's something to work with.

As I type I'm thinking,,,yah,,,,just like a hurricane/storm prediction map!

Thank the Lord the wind is still laying low.

They said a DC10 with a belly scoop is on the way from California.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

If you have Google Earth loaded on your computer, here is a good link.

Fire Data in Google Earth

 

[pacerron]

It would be nice if they could give us a map with a rough outline (updated every 4 hours) and also give the wind speed and direction. And, if someone could give a rough outline of predicted paths. This would give EOC/LEO's something to work with.

As I type I'm thinking,,,yah,,,,just like a hurricane/storm prediction map!

Thank the Lord the wind is still laying low.

They said a DC10 with a belly scoop is on the way from California.

Not quite what you want but try this Google Earth: Texas Forest Service

 

[txdon]

The winds are changing early. Here they are variable and mostly coming from the S/E. I cannot see the plume of smoke anymore because of poor visibility from the smokey haze.



Mike I don't know of any official map on the internet. I saw one on a facebook entry from a site under comments from a news site but it is now too old, it showed the area before yesterday.

I'm like you Mike I feel blind and don't know which way it's heading or any progress on any front.

Mike the TV said last night that the message line was full (How many - 2 ???) .....but keep trying.....

If I can find out anything I'll post

 

[txdon]

Nothing is stopping it. They are predicting it will get worse.

45,000 acres, 617 houses destroyed, 0% contained.

 

[Western]

Just watched the noon news, they pretty much echo what you guy's are saying as far as the "containment", basically they think the light winds today will make the difference. I hope so, but their resources are so thin statewide and you guy's down there have a big, mean one to deal with.

I guess one good thing is the fire fighters having to wear all that equipment have at least some cooler conditions to function in.

The effects of this drought will surely linger for some time.

 

[mikim]

It would be nice if they could give us a map with a rough outline (updated every 4 hours) and also give the wind speed and direction. And, if someone could give a rough outline of predicted paths. This would give EOC/LEO's something to work with.

As I type I'm thinking,,,yah,,,,just like a hurricane/storm prediction map!

Thank the Lord the wind is still laying low.

They said a DC10 with a belly scoop is on the way from California.

Kyle -- it's the EOC that should be putting that info out there ....and they aren't! They need a person called a PIO public information officer to put out info to the public via a multitude of avenues .....to the best of my knowledge they AIN'T doin it!

 

[creekbend]

After all the heat and dry conditions, now you folks in Texas have to contend with all the wildfires. I have been following the updates on the networks. Hopefully there will soon be LIGHT at the end of the RAINBOW. I wish you ALL and your FAMILIES the best of luck. This comes from the very bottom of my HEART and SOUL.:tractor:

 

[bindian]

Kyle -- it's the EOC that should be putting that info out there ....and they aren't! They need a person called a PIO public information officer to put out info to the public via a multitude of avenues .....to the best of my knowledge they AIN'T doin it!

Mike,
If Y'all have to bug out of the FIL's house, where are Y'all headed? I am praying Y'alls houses will not get harmed.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

It would be nice if they could give us a map with a rough outline (updated every 4 hours) and also give the wind speed and direction. And, if someone could give a rough outline of predicted paths. This would give EOC/LEO's something to work with.

As I type I'm thinking,,,yah,,,,just like a hurricane/storm prediction map!

Thank the Lord the wind is still laying low.

They said a DC10 with a belly scoop is on the way from California.

Kyle,
Any idea where this DC10 will scoop water up? That is a big aircraft and takes a long low approach to a large body of water to scoop. I have seen her scoop and dump in videos. That is an awesome sight.

No smoke or haze here today. No wind either.
hugs, Brandi

 

[mikim]

Mike,
If Y'all have to bug out of the FIL's house, where are Y'all headed? I am praying Y'alls houses will not get harmed.
hugs, Brandi

Have a daughter in San Antonio, son in Pearland, and several friends in Houston that have offered refuge. Including my old boss who is busy right now as director of hurricane center in Miami -- has a house in Houston he offered. So we do not lack places to run to. Doubt the wife would go for the one offer though. (old girl friend)

 

[charlz]

Seems like a good use for Evergreen's Supertanker.. which is a 747 set up for water/retardant bombing. Evergreen Supertanker

I would think it would be pretty effective as the land seems reasonably flat compared to the mountains where forest fires happen.

 

[txdon]

Austin is 30 miles west of Bastrop. Here is a good picture from the Houston Chronicle, looking at Austin's skyline with the Bastrop fire in the background.


http://blog.chron.com/rickperry/files/2011/09/Fire_Austin-skyline.jpg

 

[two_bit_score]

Picture of bas trop fire from space:
View of Bastrop Fire From Space | KUT News

Pretty big fire in Bastrop but east Texas has some bad fires going and with the forest available they could get out of hand.

Which brings up the national forest service, has anybody heard what they have been doing?

 

[two_bit_score]

The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Dense Smoke Advisory which is in effect until 9 pm CDT this evening.

Large fires are burning across East Texas which are located east of Avinger in Cass and Northern Marion counties... near Diana in Upshur county... near the Angelina River in Western Nacogdoches county... and west of Kilgore in Gregg county.

They are all causing large smoke plumes which are blowing in a general southerly direction... reducing visibilities and air quality from now through to this evening. Visibilities will be reduced to 2 miles or less in many locations in the direct path of these smoke plumes. In addition, air quality will be degraded across the region for those that become exposed to it.

 

[txdon]

I went driving around toward the fire, DPS has the major roadway blocked off way before the burned areas.

Here are 2 pics from my recon drive on the north and east sides of the fire.
Hwy 21 and 290 (near Paige)
FM 153 and Hwy 71 (near Smithville)