Well, this is way out of hand.....(Tx wildfires)

[Firevette]

More pics : http://interactives.kxan.com/photomojo/gallery/964/10/labor-day-weekend-fires/steiner-ranch-at-risk/

Central Texas seems to be burning down. Anyone thats in Bastdrop county, look out! TFS says its 16 miles across. 0% containment.

Greater Austin Area is nuts, big fires in Hays and Travis county. Big one burning north of me in Huntsville as well.


Not sure if we're getting put on a task force yet, waiting to get the call. Fire danger is so bad they may keep us here in Houston for now, just in case.



Oh, here is HWY 71... :eek:

http://media.kvue.com/images/use+this.JPG

[Sea Six]

Damn! That's not a chop??

That would make a great movie poster shot.

[Mirroredshades]

yikes

[bradc6]

:willy:

[Firevette]

Damn! That's not a chop??

That would make a great movie poster shot.

I think its a good perspective/angle for the shot. Could be a chop, dunno. Found it on several news sites. (so it must be real, lol.)

[snide]

Damn. :eek:

[Sea Six]

I think its a good perspective/angle for the shot. Could be a chop, dunno. Found it on several news sites. (so it must be real, lol.)

So, get out there and put it out already!

[NikiQ]

The entire state of Texas is a virtual tinderbox.

Here's the Forest Service's list of fire reports.

Texas Forest Service (http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=12888)

Be safe, Rocky, if you've got to go out and fight the fires.

[khblair]

yikes

:willy:

Damn. :eek:

this

[Allan]

I didn't think there was anything that would burn once you got outside the metro areas. :confused5:

[78SA]

Texas really needs a hurricane to hit them. :sadangel:

[Burnt C6]

Texas really needs a hurricane to hit them. :sadangel:

Not a hurricane but a nice tropical storm would be work. It needs to hit south of Brownsville and move across the whole damn state

[Chris Fowler]

My wife's family is all around Bastrop County.

Her parents house looks to be in danger (it's between Bastrop and Smithville). Her grandparent's house is west of Bastrop and looks to be safe at the moment. That's where here parents are staying at the moment while her grandparents are out of town...

[VetteBoy1979]

My wife's family is all around Bastrop County.

Her parents house looks to be in danger (it's between Bastrop and Smithville). Her grandparent's house is west of Bastrop and looks to be safe at the moment. That's where here parents are staying at the moment while her grandparents are out of town...

Good luck Chris! My grandmother has a place in Lee County outside Giddings, but I haven't read about the fires hitting Lee, yet. It's a log house, so it wouldn't last long. :sadangel:

Lord, please send us some rain :sadangel:

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Rain, please rain....

I saw where yesterday it looked like Corsicana might burn to a crisp and a stray shower came through and knocked it down. I don't know if there has been rain there in months, but for it to happen yesterday gives some credence to the power of prayer.

We've got nice temps today, but it's still too damn dry. I hope folks cooking out for Labor Day pay attention.

[Chris Fowler]

Even if it doesn't rain, these high winds (25-35 mph) and low humidity (15-20%) are wreaking havoc. :(

[oyealiz]

I didn't think there was anything that would burn once you got outside the metro areas. :confused5:

You're evidently not familiar with Texas, then, sir.


I've seen many other pictures from yesterday that are as dramatic in appearance as the one Firevette posted here. Very, very scary.



Please, please we need rain.

[khblair]

You're evidently not familiar with Texas, then, sir.


I've seen many other pictures from yesterday that are as dramatic in appearance as the one Firevette posted here. Very, very scary.



Please, please we need rain.

we have gotten several inches in the last 24 hours. you can have it. i think we need to start building an ark soon :willy:

[mrvette]

You're evidently not familiar with Texas, then, sir.


I've seen many other pictures from yesterday that are as dramatic in appearance as the one Firevette posted here. Very, very scary.



Please, please we need rain.

NO shit!!, I going to call my oldest buddy in Crowley....see how he is doing....

will edit/post when I hear.....:sadangel::leaving:

[BuckyThreadkiller]

I didn't think there was anything that would burn once you got outside the metro areas. :confused5:

It's not exactly just outside of the metro areas.

http://linapps.s3.amazonaws.com/linapps/photomojo/kxan.com/photos/2011/09/g964-labor-day-weekend-fires/21209-58804.jpg

[Allan]

You're evidently not familiar with Texas, then, sir.


I've seen many other pictures from yesterday that are as dramatic in appearance as the one Firevette posted here. Very, very scary.



Please, please we need rain.


Nope.

Drove through the panhandle twice . . . ~40 yrs ago. Changed planes DFW once . . . ~20 yrs ago.

Hope you get wet soon.

[Mrs. Colleen]

:sadangel: Wild fires are scary...we know way too well about that here. :sadangel:

[Milton Fox]

The fires in the metro area are happening - we just have a better response time and more equipment available so they are getting them under control faster. I have had our hoses laid out and primed front and back for anyone to use if we are not here since July. :sadangel:

[Firevette]

Bastdrop fire is getting worse. Since we have not deployed im guessing my department is going to keep our resources here, we've been running brush fires daily as well.

I hear many crews pulling into bastdrop are being assigned evacuation duties rather than fire suppression. Not good.

[Firevette]

The fires in the metro area are happening - we just have a better response time and more equipment available so they are getting them under control faster.

:iagree:

Public water systems help too....hydrants ftw!:yesnod:

[oyealiz]

we have gotten several inches in the last 24 hours. you can have it. i think we need to start building an ark soon :willy:

Boy would we love to have it.

Bastdrop fire is getting worse. Since we have not deployed im guessing my department is going to keep our resources here, we've been running brush fires daily as well.

I hear many crews pulling into bastdrop are being assigned evacuation duties rather than fire suppression. Not good.

I hope they are able to get the people and animals all out of danger there.

[Sea Six]

Obviously, God is upset with Texans.



Y'all just need to repent, is all.




:yesnod:

[NEED-A-VETTE]

:sadangel: Wild fires are scary...we know way too well about that here. :sadangel:

:iagree:

I heard on the news this morning that the fires in Texas overran a neighborhood and killed some folks before they had time to evacuate. They said the winds kicked up and the fire just moved too quickly. :sadangel:

We just went through the Sesnon Fire in 2008. Thankfully, no lives were lost. Some vids and pics from that fire...I took the pictures, neighbors took the vids...

Fire creating it's own gusts, which you can hear as it comes out of the canyon. Seeing the embers that start kicking up around 1:30ish (and get worse as the vid goes on), it's easy to see how these fires can jump quickly:

Getting Close - YouTube

Neighbors evacuating from our subdivision:

Neighbors Bailing - YouTube

Some pics from our subdivision after the fire. The fire had moved through, but was still burning in the distance:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/utf-8BSU1HMDAzNDAuanBn.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/utf-8BSU1HMDAzNDEuanBn.jpg

These two are from the end of our street. No more vegetation left...

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/hill2.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/hill.jpg

This one is looking at the hills from our backyard:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire071.jpg

The rest are from within our subdivision or looking into our subdivision:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire064.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/neighbor6.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/neighbor5.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/neighbor4.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/neighbor.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire063.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire026.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire025.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire024.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire023.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire017.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire016.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire015.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire022.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire020.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire041.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire056.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire054.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire049.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire043.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire031.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire047.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c343/sandyeas/sessnon%20fire/subdivisionfire062.jpg

[Chris Fowler]

Fires and evacuations 10-12 miles from my house now. :ohnoes:

What's the distance before you start packing to be prepared? :bilmem:

[bradc6]

Fires and evacuations 10-12 miles from my house now. :ohnoes:

What's the distance before you start packing to be prepared? :bilmem:

10 to 12 miles.

[Mrs. Colleen]

Fires and evacuations 10-12 miles from my house now. :ohnoes:

What's the distance before you start packing to be prepared? :bilmem:

Depends on what is between you and the fire.

I might start thinking about/making a list of everything you would want to take...but I am usually a nervous wreck when it comes to things like that...

[NEED-A-VETTE]

Depends on what is between you and the fire.

I might start thinking about/making a list of everything you would want to take...but I am usually a nervous wreck when it comes to things like that...

:iagree:

Depends on which way the wind is blowing, if there are any breaks between you, like major roads or highways. 10-12 miles is still pretty far away.

Still, not a bad idea to get some stuff together to be able to grab quickly if you have to go. Documents, insurance info, medications, clothes, etc. If you have pets, get some things together for them to be ready. Food, cages and such. Have a plan on where you'll go in the event you have to be gone a few days...friend's house, family, evacuation center, etc.

[OddBall]

Prayers sent for y'all. That's some seriously scary shit :sadangel: :sadangel:

[Burro (He/Haw)]

http://media.kvue.com/images/use+this.JPG
JAY-SUS!

[Chris Fowler]

Depends on what is between you and the fire.

I might start thinking about/making a list of everything you would want to take...but I am usually a nervous wreck when it comes to things like that...
part of a neighborhood, 1 highway...and then mostly dry grass, trees and ranch land...

If it jumps the highway we'll start packing.

[Mrs. Colleen]

part of a neighborhood, 1 highway...and then mostly dry grass, trees and ranch land...

If it jumps the highway we'll start packing.

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck. :cheers:

And like Sandy said, the wind plays such a huge roll when it comes to fire.

[carlton_fritz]

Not a hurricane but a nice tropical storm would be work. It needs to hit south of Brownsville and move across the whole damn state
Local weatherman thinks the cold front that met Lee could turn into something later this week.

[Chris Fowler]

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck. :cheers:

And like Sandy said, the wind plays such a huge roll when it comes to fire.
Yeah...that fire is due west (and maybe a little south of us). Wind is out of the Northwest at 25-35 mph...

Paranoia is so much fun!

[Milton Fox]

We still havent been able to find our friends from Possum Kingdom :sadangel:

My brothers neice is in the path of the one in Magnolia.

Their friends from their Corvette Club are already evacuated from Bastrop.

More prayers and rain - please!!!!!

[Firevette]

Just got back from the Magnolia fire. I've been in the fire service 10 years and I've never seen anything like it before. There is a good chance they will call us back tomorrow, im gonna catch some Z's. :seeya:

[Firevette]

Just looked at the news stories. Most are reporting around 20 homes lost. The actual count is going to be much higher. :( Several neighborhoods are almost completely wiped out.

[VetteBoy1979]

Just looked at the news stories. Most are reporting around 20 homes lost. The actual count is going to be much higher. :( Several neighborhoods are almost completely wiped out.

Stay safe out there man!

[Entropy]

Damn. Be careful out there Rocky.

[VatorMan]

:sadangel::sadangel: Wish we could send you the tons of rain we are getting right now.

[Firevette]

Was back out at another smaller one locally at 7:30. Its 100% contained. :hurray: Back to bed for a little bit...:leaving:

[Entropy]

Was back out at another smaller one locally at 7:30. Its 100% contained. :hurray: Back to bed for a little bit...:leaving:
What are you guys using for tools? McLeods, fire rakes, pulaskis, or are you able to use fire trucks, etc.?

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Just looked at the news stories. Most are reporting around 20 homes lost. The actual count is going to be much higher. :( Several neighborhoods are almost completely wiped out.

I was watching the news in the airport and they were saying 450+ homes in the big Bastrop fire.

They have about gotten the 101 Ranch fire put out west of Fort Worth, but that mother around Austin looks really bad. 16 miles wide?

[Stangkiller]

Was back out at another smaller one locally at 7:30. Its 100% contained. :hurray: Back to bed for a little bit...:leaving:

Rocky, I'm sure you're working some crazy hours lately. Let me know if there's something I can do to help you...pet sitting ect.

[NB2K]

Anyone got any local information around Hughes Springs?

[Stangkiller]

Anyone got any local information around Hughes Springs?

Check out this map

WunderMap Interactive Radar & Weather Stations : Weather Underground (http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=29.53506088&lon=-95.52320862&zoom=8&pin=Missouri%20City%2c%20TX)

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Yeah...that fire is due west (and maybe a little south of us). Wind is out of the Northwest at 25-35 mph...

Paranoia is so much fun!

Hope you and your family are OK - it's looking bad.

[Firevette]

Just back from Magnolia, went back around 1. Unless the winds kick up again I dont think I will be heading back out there. Not really sure how contained it is, but it has moved Northeast of where it was last night. Its in areas that are very hard to access now. They have lots of help though...even Galveston Engine 1 was there.

[Stangkiller]

Just back from Magnolia, went back around 1. Unless the winds kick up again I dont think I will be heading back out there. Not really sure how contained it is, but it has moved Northeast of where it was last night. Its in areas that are very hard to access now. They have lots of help though...even Galveston Engine 1 was there.

Thanks man! Keep us posted!

[Chris Fowler]

Hope you and your family are OK - it's looking bad.
Our area is fine now.

My wife's mom and step-dad's home is in an unknown state, but, given it's location, we fear the worst. :(

My wife's grandparents home is fine. They had to evacuate, but are able to get back in now. That's where her mom and step-dad are staying. They're spending most of their time at the relief center, volunteering. :cheers:

Had another friend that had to evacuate yesterday. Nine houses on her street are a total loss. Eleven others with damage. Turned out to be arson. :mad:

[Firevette]

Just spent the last 24 hours in magnolia....fire just wont quit.

[Tinkerbell in Texas]

Just spent the last 24 hours in magnolia....fire just wont quit.

:(
We've been getting all the smoke from the Magnolia fire down here in Katy.
Be safe Rocky.

[Wathen1955]

I feel for you guys in TX - here in Southern CA, we are approaching our fire season. This is the time of year when the Sana Ana winds come in to play - high temperatures and humidity less than 10%. Most of the fires here are started by idiots.

Be safe guys.

[Mrs. Colleen]

Just spent the last 24 hours in magnolia....fire just wont quit.

Stay safe. :angel: Thank you to you and all the others helping. :angel:

We had a bit of a close call here the other day. I saw this when I left work on Tuesday...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/AFIDrummerGirl/Fire1.jpg

Turns out a car accident sparked a fire but luckily the firefighters were able to take care of it before anything major happened. :angel:

Three-Vehicle Crash Sparks Fire, Closing Highway 154 Near Windy Gap for Hours - Noozhawk.com (http://www.noozhawk.com/article/090611_three_car_collision_ignites_fire_on_highway_154/)

And you can see from my picture the right side of that mountain already burned two years ago. :sadangel:

[Mrs. Colleen]

I am going to throw out one more giant THANK YOU to all the firefighters out there...

Firefighters knock down vegetation fire in Goleta | KSBY.com | San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles (http://www.ksby.com/news/firefighters-knock-down-vegetation-fire-in-goleta/)

This one was VERY close to home. :angel:

[Firevette]

Its Saturday, right?:lol:

First day that I think I will be home for 24 hrs. I am beyond exhausted.

I'm hoping that this will be the beginning of the end for this fire. As long as the wind stays away, it should be.

I wish I could have somehow been able to snap pictures of some of the shit I've gotten into this week....unreal.


I will say the people of Magnolia are awesome. Even though it was out of a styrofoam box in the middle of hell, we never went without. I think I've had more home cooked meals this week than I've had all month.:yesnod:


Word on the front yesterday was that the feds were going to take over today...

[Rob]

Stay safe :cheers:

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Its Saturday, right?:lol:

First day that I think I will be home for 24 hrs. I am beyond exhausted.

I'm hoping that this will be the beginning of the end for this fire. As long as the wind stays away, it should be.

I wish I could have somehow been able to snap pictures of some of the shit I've gotten into this week....unreal.


I will say the people of Magnolia are awesome. Even though it was out of a styrofoam box in the middle of hell, we never went without. I think I've had more home cooked meals this week than I've had all month.:yesnod:


Word on the front yesterday was that the feds were going to take over today...

Sincere thanks for what you do Rocky. Next time we meet up, beers are on me.

[Firevette]

Monday, Pulling out of a neighborhood on the north side of 1488. It was overrun so quickly there was nothing we could do. Most of the homes were lost. :(

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0139.jpg

Monday, FM 1488, regrouping. We tried to hold it about 1/2 mile in from where I snapped this picture....completely futile. Literal, 100ft tall 1/4 mile long wall of fire....that was moving at 20 mph. A few of us barely made it out. We did manage to get into the neighborhoods to the south and stop it at all of the homes in its path.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0138.jpg

Harris County Task Force 1, after stopping the FM 1488 section that crossed. Regrouping for deployment to the north side FM 1774. My engine and brush truck are the two up front you can see a little bit.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0140.jpg

Making a final stand on 1488 at the Waller County line Wednsday night/thurs morning. Pictures are when we were waiting for it to come to us, not very dramatic. We let it burn to the road on the north side and put everything out on the south, and managed to hold it. Approx 1 mile long. When the fire crowned, I thought the paint on the truck was going to catch fire.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0157.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0151.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0148.jpg

What was left after the above fire had reached the road, crowned, and died off.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0143.jpg

Friday afternoon. Northeast finger of the fire getting into some structures. Pic taken from the command post.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/IMAG0161.jpg




..and one for the ladies. :D This was in the neighborhood that we were pulling out of in the first picture, of course it was 8 hours later. We pulled in there to eat and take a break.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/firevette/Magnolia%202011/imagejpeg_2_4.jpg