Massive wildfire in Bastrop
16,000 Acres Burned, At Least 400 Homes "Lost"
Posted on 09/04/2011 10:23:33 PM PDT by Steelfish
Thousands Flee As Wildfire Torches 300 Texas Homes
SAN ANTONIO — A fast-growing wildfire fanned by winds from Tropical Storm Lee torched an estimated 300 homes near Austin on Sunday, and thousands of people in hundreds more homes had to evacuate overnight. "It's catastrophic," Texas Forest Service Fire Chief Mark Stanford was quoted by the Austin American-Statesman website as saying. "It's a major natural disaster."
The fire had burned through 14,000 acres and was 16 miles long, threatening some 700 more homes in Bastrop County, just east of Austin. Aerial units estimated that 300 homes were destroyed or damaged. In neighboring Travis County, fires caused evacuations and burned homes in neighborhoods to the north and west of Austin.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Haven’t really been on top of the news today. My first suspicion is that the fires were intentionally started. God I hate being so suspicious of everything. Prayers for all those affected.
Very low humidity, winds of 40 mph, and excessive drought turning all vegetation into tinder can cause such fires. My dad was a cotton farmer near Lubbbock. Occasionally, he would take harvested cotton to the gin and a dry norther with low humidity would blow in. The cotton on a trailer in the gin yard would burst into flame spontaneously, destroying not only the cotton, but the trailer as well. Then the blowing sparks would set other trailers on fire.
Thank you, Tropical Storm Lee, for adding to the historic misery of this summer in Texas.
Yes...I can see that happening. Like I said I’m just suspicious...in fact...weren’t the last wild fires started by illegals? Or was that in AZ...With Perry in the race now, that just adds to the suspicion.
Anyway I pray that they get rain soon.
I invite every Freeper to PRAY FOR TEXAS. It’s going to take years for the state to recover from this hellish drought.
Well, allow to happen, the dry tinder doesn't just spontaneously burst into flame. But there are always idiots around to throw a cigarette out into that tinder. I saw it happen a couple of nights ago. I was behind a pick up in Killeen Texas, which is very dry (and now very smokey from fires on the impact range area of Ft. Hood) when someone in the truck threw out a still lighted butt about in front of the main gate to Ft. Hood. One of my rare cussing events then ensued.
Anything from the White House or where ever the President is vacationing today?
Same suspicions, although when it happens in CA I have greater suspicions of organized unions in the Firefighter organizations, especially when the wildfires are all begun by organized “controlled burns”, which all of the sudden become uncontrolled. I’d come closer to watching socio-political interests of those organizations and ties to one another.
“Anything from the White House or where ever the President is vacationing today?
He did not make it rain today.
darn him, we need rain!
From what I have heard, the fire was started because of a couple of trees were brushing against a power line. That, combined with nearly 80 days of triple digit degree highs and dry grass made for all of the troubles.
I live in Austin, which is about 23 miles from the nearest fires. Trying to get as many people involved with disaster relief as I can. Local animal shelters need help, and evacuation centers need donations and volunteers. I’m going to go lend a hand on my 3 days off (I work 4 10s per week so I could have more time with my family) to anyone that has a volunteer job to give me.
Massive wildfire in Bastrop
16,000 Acres Burned, At Least 400 Homes "Lost"
Anything from the White House or where ever the President is vacationing today?
Do you think this clown will ever help a red state (texas) or a white state (Vermont) ?
Is it 2012 yet ?
...is the fire contained?.....I know it's been over 100 degrees for more than a month....112 the other day....I hear this first hand from my relatives.
Prayers for you all!
We have had 85 fires just in the Sherman area, and it is arson. There is a reward offered here.
I believe you’re correct. Some of the fires are probably not accidental. Great time to get out of a mortgage on an underwater Mega-mansion. Problem is, someone burned someone else’s house in the process.
Having lived in Texas and still having family there... my prayers have been up and will continue.
LLS
He’s scheduled to speak to a union bash in Deetroitt today..then, I am sure he will be right down to Texas to calm the winds and put out the fires.../s
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.