Crazy fires in central Texas

cartman · 09-04-2011, 11:51 PM

There is currently a massive wildfire burning just east of Austin near Bastrop. That is getting the lion's share of attention at the moment. It has burned over 15,000 acres so far, and has been growing by 3-5,000 acres per hour. But there have been at least 6 other decent sized fires today. The next biggest was one in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood just south of Lake Travis. At least 25 homes were destroyed. There is one currently burning about 15 miles north of my house, and they have evacuated the neighborhood closest to the fires. I just got a little freaked out when I saw 4 fire trucks drive by my house. But their sirens weren't on, and they drove back by about 5 minutes later.

Dodgerchick · 09-05-2011, 12:51 AM

Scary indeed, stay safe.

Dodgerchick · 09-05-2011, 01:15 AM

or here - WunderMap Interactive Radar & Weather Stations : Weather Underground

Scary when looking at it that way.

fpres · 09-05-2011, 01:23 AM

Stay safe, cartman.

Some of our volunteer firefighters (Cy-Fair area of NW Houston) had to help fight a wildfire today just a few miles west of town along I-10. It was definitely disconcerting knowing that it was that close. Hopefully they will get a handle on the Bastrop fire...it looks bad.

Dodgerchick · 09-05-2011, 01:29 AM

Just went outside and I can smell the smoke. I think the closest fire to our apt. is about 7 miles from here.

M GO BLUE!!! · 09-05-2011, 01:48 AM

I was hoping Lee would have went to Texas.

Stay safe, you Texans.

fpres · 09-05-2011, 05:58 PM

The Bastrop fire is showing up clearly on radar now (as well as another that's popped up between Houston and Texas A&M). Local news is reporting that the Bastrop one is 0% contained.

cartman · 09-05-2011, 07:45 PM

The Bastrop fire is now at 30,000 acres and 0% contained. Almost 500 houses have been destroyed. Found out a bit earlier that two houses of my aunt's (by marriage) sisters were burned down in the fire.

Hammer755 · 09-05-2011, 08:35 PM

It's been raining ashes here today in west Houston and there's a noticeable haze to the west.

cartman · 09-05-2011, 09:18 PM

Damn that is a lot of smoke and fire:

Fonzie · 09-05-2011, 10:55 PM

Those folks shouldn't need a GPS to figure out they're going the wrong way.

Stay safe, Texan residents!

tucker rocky · 09-05-2011, 11:11 PM

Snowstorms, earthquakes, tsunami's, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, and snowstorms.
Mother Nature likes snowstorms so much, I listed it twice.
What a year 2011 has been.
Can it only get worse?
Everybody's hoping it gets better.

Wolfpack · 09-06-2011, 11:29 PM

That's nuts. I knew things in Texas were tough when the heat and dry air basically destroyed a land-falling tropical storm near Brownsville earlier this summer. I'd never seen anything like that before.

Stay safe down there.

cartman · 09-06-2011, 11:43 PM

I drove to Houston this morning, and the smoke on I-10 was really thick for about 25 miles between Luling and Flatonia. It was eerie the way the smoke hung in the trees like a mist. This was about 30 miles south of where the fires were burning.

M GO BLUE!!! · 09-07-2011, 12:40 AM

Wow

Senator · 09-07-2011, 04:34 AM

Drove back from Houston yesterday and the wind was so intense, people were pulling over.
Found out last night that one of my friends stayed as long as he could, but the fire got his and his father in laws house. He dug a trench around his house and cranked his sprinklers on, but the fire hopped onto 10 old oak trees which went up like kindling, and the houses didn't stand a chance. Then the fire hopped the highway with ease, and commenced to burn the 15 house behind them.

Mizzou B-ball fan · 09-07-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator

Drove back from Houston yesterday and the wind was so intense, people were pulling over.
Found out last night that one of my friends stayed as long as he could, but the fire got his and his father in laws house. He dug a trench around his house and cranked his sprinklers on, but the fire hopped onto 10 old oak trees which went up like kindling, and the houses didn't stand a chance. Then the fire hopped the highway with ease, and commenced to burn the 15 house behind them.

If anyone else is in this situation, DON'T STAY. It's a very bad idea. There's very little you can do when facing a fire of this magnitude to save your home, but there's a lot of ways you can die in this scenario.

Senator · 09-07-2011, 12:29 PM

That is pretty much what I told him, as well as the firemen on the scene. He is just that kind of knucklehead that sees this as personal.

Rizon · 09-07-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

Wow

WTF

Mizzou B-ball fan · 09-07-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator

That is pretty much what I told him, as well as the firemen on the scene. He is just that kind of knucklehead that sees this as personal.

Of course. Always easier to think with your heart instead of your head in those situations. Hurricanes are the same way.

cartman · 09-13-2011, 11:50 PM

The Bastrop fire is still burning, but is 70% contained. It has burned 45 square miles and destroyed over 1500 homes.

Not surprisingly, my home county of Hays has extended the burn ban. This tidbit jumped out of the notice:

Quote:

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which measures the dryness of the soil, was 786 for Hays County on Tuesday. The scale tops out at 800 – a total lack of moisture.

My neighborhood dodged a bullet over the weekend. Some people who were renting a house at the end of my street decided that it would be a good idea to light up a fire pit by the pool. The fire quickly got out of control, and if the fire trucks showed up 5 minutes later than they did, things would have gotten bad. As it was, around an acre got charred. The kicker? The people were renting the house because theirs was destroyed last week in the Bastrop fire.

DaddyTorgo · 09-14-2011, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

The Bastrop fire is still burning, but is 70% contained. It has burned 45 square miles and destroyed over 1500 homes.

Not surprisingly, my home county of Hays has extended the burn ban. This tidbit jumped out of the notice:

My neighborhood dodged a bullet over the weekend. Some people who were renting a house at the end of my street decided that it would be a good idea to light up a fire pit by the pool. The fire quickly got out of control, and if the fire trucks showed up 5 minutes later than they did, things would have gotten bad. As it was, around an acre got charred. The kicker? The people were renting the house because theirs was destroyed last week in the Bastrop fire.

Heh. Gotta love it.

Ajaxab · 09-14-2011, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

My neighborhood dodged a bullet over the weekend. Some people who were renting a house at the end of my street decided that it would be a good idea to light up a fire pit by the pool. The fire quickly got out of control, and if the fire trucks showed up 5 minutes later than they did, things would have gotten bad. As it was, around an acre got charred. The kicker? The people were renting the house because theirs was destroyed last week in the Bastrop fire.

Unbelievable...I cringe here in San Antonio when I see people flicking their cigarette ashes out their car windows. This area is a tinder box. One stray ash and an entire area could be burned in a matter of minutes.

cartman · 10-04-2011, 10:11 PM

A little more than a week after the Bastrop fire was 100% contained, a new fire flared up today in Bastrop that has already burned 1000 acres.

09-05-2011, 07:45 PM	#8
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	The Bastrop fire is now at 30,000 acres and 0% contained. Almost 500 houses have been destroyed. Found out a bit earlier that two houses of my aunt's (by marriage) sisters were burned down in the fire. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

09-05-2011, 08:35 PM	#9
Hammer755 High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Houston, TX	It's been raining ashes here today in west Houston and there's a noticeable haze to the west. __________________ I failed Signature 101 class.

09-05-2011, 09:18 PM	#10
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	Damn that is a lot of smoke and fire: __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

09-05-2011, 11:11 PM	#12
tucker rocky Pro Rookie Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Of no particular interest	Snowstorms, earthquakes, tsunami's, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, and snowstorms. Mother Nature likes snowstorms so much, I listed it twice. What a year 2011 has been. Can it only get worse? Everybody's hoping it gets better. Last edited by tucker rocky : 09-05-2011 at 11:13 PM.

09-06-2011, 11:43 PM	#14
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	I drove to Houston this morning, and the smoke on I-10 was really thick for about 25 miles between Luling and Flatonia. It was eerie the way the smoke hung in the trees like a mist. This was about 30 miles south of where the fires were burning. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

09-05-2011, 12:51 AM	#2
Dodgerchick College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Austin, TX	Scary indeed, stay safe.

09-05-2011, 01:15 AM	#3
Dodgerchick College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Austin, TX	or here - WunderMap Interactive Radar & Weather Stations : Weather Underground Scary when looking at it that way.

09-05-2011, 01:23 AM	#4
fpres High School JV Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston, Texas	Stay safe, cartman. Some of our volunteer firefighters (Cy-Fair area of NW Houston) had to help fight a wildfire today just a few miles west of town along I-10. It was definitely disconcerting knowing that it was that close. Hopefully they will get a handle on the Bastrop fire...it looks bad.

09-05-2011, 01:29 AM	#5
Dodgerchick College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Austin, TX	Just went outside and I can smell the smoke. I think the closest fire to our apt. is about 7 miles from here.

09-05-2011, 01:48 AM	#6
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	I was hoping Lee would have went to Texas. Stay safe, you Texans.

09-05-2011, 05:58 PM	#7
fpres High School JV Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston, Texas	The Bastrop fire is showing up clearly on radar now (as well as another that's popped up between Houston and Texas A&M). Local news is reporting that the Bastrop one is 0% contained.

09-05-2011, 10:55 PM	#11
Fonzie Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Illinois	Those folks shouldn't need a GPS to figure out they're going the wrong way. Stay safe, Texan residents!

09-06-2011, 11:29 PM	#13
Wolfpack Pro Rookie Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Raleigh, NC	That's nuts. I knew things in Texas were tough when the heat and dry air basically destroyed a land-falling tropical storm near Brownsville earlier this summer. I'd never seen anything like that before. Stay safe down there.

09-07-2011, 12:40 AM	#15
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	Wow

09-07-2011, 04:34 AM	#16
Senator FOFC's Elected Representative Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The stars at night; are big and bright	Drove back from Houston yesterday and the wind was so intense, people were pulling over. Found out last night that one of my friends stayed as long as he could, but the fire got his and his father in laws house. He dug a trench around his house and cranked his sprinklers on, but the fire hopped onto 10 old oak trees which went up like kindling, and the houses didn't stand a chance. Then the fire hopped the highway with ease, and commenced to burn the 15 house behind them. __________________ "i have seen chris simms play 4-5 times in the pros and he's very clearly got it. he won't make a pro bowl this year, but it'll come. if you don't like me saying that, so be it, but its true. we'll just have to wait until then" imettrentgreen "looking at only ten games, and oddly using a median only, leaves me unmoved generally" - Quiksand Last edited by Senator : 09-07-2011 at 04:34 AM.

09-07-2011, 12:29 PM	#18
Senator FOFC's Elected Representative Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The stars at night; are big and bright	That is pretty much what I told him, as well as the firemen on the scene. He is just that kind of knucklehead that sees this as personal. __________________ "i have seen chris simms play 4-5 times in the pros and he's very clearly got it. he won't make a pro bowl this year, but it'll come. if you don't like me saying that, so be it, but its true. we'll just have to wait until then" imettrentgreen "looking at only ten games, and oddly using a median only, leaves me unmoved generally" - Quiksand

10-04-2011, 10:11 PM	#24
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	A little more than a week after the Bastrop fire was 100% contained, a new fire flared up today in Bastrop that has already burned 1000 acres. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

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