Austin area fires

Thx JF for the updates. I worry about family there

What happens when drought and wind combine with fire:

[youtube:1r17z2gm][/youtube:1r17z2gm]

That was amazing

Per Texas Forest Service :

Wildfire update – Sept. 7, 2011

Current situation:

· Yesterday Texas Forest Service responded to 19 new fires for 1,490 acres, including new large fires in Red River and Rusk counties. In the past seven days Texas Forest Service has responded to 172 fires for 135,051 acres.

· An assessment has been completed on the Bastrop County Complex and 785 homes have been reported destroyed. An additional 238 have been reported lost on other fires in the past three days, for a total of approximately 1,023.

· A significant number of aircraft have been mobilized to assist with the heavy fire activity. Six heavy airtankers, three 1,500-gallon scoopers, 15 single-engine airtankers, 12 helicopters, and 12 aerial supervision aircraft are in place. Eight National Guard Blackhawk and three Chinook helicopters have been providing critical aerial support. In addition, a 12,000-gallon DC-10 airtanker will be activated Friday morning at the Austin-Bergstrom Airport. This aircraft was instrumental in helping to contain Wildcat Fire in Coke County last April.

· A Type I Incident Management Team is in place in Bastrop this morning and is assisting Texas Forest Service in managing the Bastrop County Complex. Additional Type 1 teams have been requested to assist with the large fires in Northeast and Southeast Texas.

· 251 of the 254 Texas counties are reporting burn bans.

· Daily detailed fire information can be found here or at inciweb.org.



New large fires from yesterday (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels; or where homes were lost):

HALSBRO COMPLEX, Red River County. 950 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in grass. Fifteen homes are threatened, but none reported lost.

#510, Rusk County. 400 acres, unknown containment.



Uncontained fires from previous days (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels):

BASTROP COUNTY COMPLEX, Bastrop County. 33,038 acres. The State Operations Center is reporting 30 percent containment. Heavy airtankers, scoopers, helicopters, and SEATs assisted on this fire that started in the Lost Pines area just northeast of Bastrop. Most of the forward progress of the fire has stopped, but significant intense burning continues in the interior. Twenty subdivisions remain evacuated. An assessment team has confirmed 785 homes have been destroyed. Two civilians were found dead yesterday as search crews went through the charred subdivisions.

PEDERNALES BEND (Spicewood), Travis County. 6,500 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning four miles southeast of Spicewood. Sixty-seven homes were destroyed.

BEAR CREEK (#536), Cass County. 14,000 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in heavy timber and is threatening a gas facility and chicken houses. Six homes have been destroyed. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

RILEY ROAD, Grimes/Montgomery/Waller counties. 5,000 acres, 30 percent contained. Seventy-five homes have been destroyed on this fire burning just west of Magnolia.

TAMINA ROAD, Montgomery County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Hundreds of homes were evacuated Monday evening, but none was reported lost.

UNION CHAPEL, Bastrop County. 912 acres, 20 percent contained. Twenty-five homes were destroyed on this fire just west of Bastrop. Aircraft responded immediately after the fire was reported, but were ineffective in the windy conditions.

MOONGLOW, Williamson County. 75 acres, 95 percent contained. This fire is burning in Leander where 150 homes were threatened. Thirteen homes are reported lost.

PETERS CHAPEL, Harrison County. 650 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning actively in pine plantation. Numerous homes have been evacuated. There are no reports of losses.

STEINER RANCH, Travis County. 125 acres, 40 percent contained. The fire started just north of the Steiner Ranch subdivision. More than 1,000 homes were evacuated. Thirty-five homes were destroyed.

HENDERSON #495, Anderson County. 5,000 acres, unknown containment. Three homes were saved.

#491, Limestone County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. Six homes were saved and one was lost on this fire 20 miles east of Waco.

DELHI, Caldwell County. 6,000 acres, 60 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved and six were lost on this fire east of Lockhart.

BAILEY, Colorado County. 2,300 acres, 75 percent contained. This fast-moving fire threatened 40 homes near Columbus. Ten homes were destroyed.

DIANA (#545), Upshur County. 2,500 acres,70 percent contained. The fire is burning in grass and timber. Twenty homes are threatened.

LUTHERHILL, Fayette County. 2,700 acres, 95 percent contained. The community of Ruttersville was evacuated. Fourteen homes were destroyed.

BONBIEW RANCH, Van Zandt County. 350 acres, 80 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved southeast of Canton.

MOORE, Smith County. 1,500 acres, 90 percent contained. Ten homes were evacuated and five were lost on this fire burning on the Smith/Gregg County line. Two civilian fatalities were reported.

BOOT WALKER (#553), Marion County. 2,000 acres, unknown containment. Thirty homes are threatened.

TOAD ROAD (#552), Upshur County. 350 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in timber. Three homes were lost and dozens remain threatened.

HOPEWELL (#854), Walker County. 1,000 acres, 90 percent contained. Thirty homes have been evacuated, five homes were destroyed.

#507, Anderson County. 1,400 acres, unknown containment.

#504, Anderson County. 800 acres, unknown containment.

#502, Nacogdoches County. 4,000 acres, unknown containment. More than a dozen homes have been evacuated, but none lost.

ARBOR, Houston County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. The fire is burning in timber. Up to 15 homes are reported lost.

KENNEDY ROAD, Rusk County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Numerous homes threatened, one lost.

PETTYTOWN, Caldwell County. 200 acres, 95 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved east of Lockhart.

OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 1,000 acres, 80 percent contained. Several structures and a gas plant are threatened. Two fuel tanks exploded.

#839, Leon County (Concord Robbins). 4,000 acres, unknown containment. An estimated twenty homes are reported lost and more than 300 were evacuated.

101 RANCH, Palo Pinto County. 6,555 acres, 85 percent contained. The fire is burning on the south side of Possum Kingdom Lake near the town of Brad. Thirty-nine homes and nine RVs have been reported destroyed.


Weather Outlook:

A surface ridge of dry high pressure will dominate most of Texas today. A surface trough along the front range of the Rockies near the northern New Mexico/Texas border will increase the winds over the panhandle area of Texas. Lows relative humidities of 10 to 20 percent can be expected over all west Texas with low RH’s of 5 to 10 percent around Fort Stockton, San Angelo and Midland areas. The strongest winds will be over the panhandle and sections of Northwest and West Branch along and to the north of Interstate 20. High temperatures will range in the 80s and 90s, except for some upper 70s in the northern panhandle. Poor overnight recoveries are expected for areas away from the coast.

Dry conditions expected today with high pressure over North Texas. Northeast flow will prevail at 8-11 mph gusts to 15 mph. Sunny skies with afternoon highs 84-92. RH values falling to 14 to 20 percent northwest and 18 to 30 percent southeast. Poor to moderate overnight recoveries.

My son called last night and told us that 2 homes about 8 blocks from the home they are purchasing burned to the ground.
My heart is just breaking for all those folks. I completely understand the fear and uncertainty they are experiencing right now.

Here's a really great source for updated Texas fire information:

http://www.texas-fire.com/

Google map of Texas wildfires:

http://ticc.tamu.edu/Response/FireActivity/

(sorry if this has already been posted)

Per InciWeb :

Wildfire Update September 10, 2011

Incident: Texas Fires 2011 Wildfire
Released: 49 min. ago
Wildfire update - Sept. 11, 2011

Current situation:
Yesterday Texas Forest Service responded to 24 new fires for 100 acres.
In the past seven days Texas Forest Service has responded to 181 fires for 166,475 acres.

Initial attack activity was light yesterday, giving firefighters an opportunity to make good progress on several large fires.

Four military C-130 aircraft are in place this morning at Austin-Bergstrom Airport. These large airtankers can deliver more than 3,000 gallons per load.

250 of the 254 Texas counties are reporting burn bans.

Daily detailed fire information can be found at inciweb.org.

New large fires from yesterday (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels; or where homes were lost):
None.

Uncontained fires from previous days (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels):

BASTROP COUNTY COMPLEX, Bastrop County. 34,068 acres, 50 percent contained. Forward progression of the fire has stopped. Crews and equipment continue to protect homes within the perimeter. There is no fire burning outside the main containment lines. The 719-acre Union Chapel Fire is now included in this complex and is being managed by the Southern Area Type I Incident Management Team. An assessment team has confirmed 1,386 homes have been destroyed on the main fire, with 28 lost on the Union Chapel Fire. Two civilians were found dead Tuesday as search crews went through the charred subdivisions.

BEAR CREEK (#536), Cass County. 49,997 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning very actively in heavy timber and is threatening numerous houses. Scoopers, heavy airtankers, and Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System engines are assisting. Twenty-four homes have been destroyed just southeast of Linden. A Type 1 Incident Management Team is assisting with management of the fire.

RILEY ROAD, Grimes/Montgomery/Waller counties. 21,269 acres, 50 percent contained. Active fire behavior was observed yesterday as the fire continued to move south. The DC-10 airtanker continued to drop retardant on the fire yesterday. Approximately 59 homes have been destroyed on this fire burning just west of Magnolia.

DIANA (#545), Upshur County. 809 acres, 75 percent contained. The fire is burning in grass and timber. Twenty homes are threatened. There was a catch out yesterday.

BONBIEW RANCH, Van Zandt County. 350 acres, 80 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved southeast of Canton. No new information was received.

BOOT WALKER (#553), Marion County. 1,047 acres, 80 percent contained. A wind shift to the south could threaten 30 homes. Access to the fire is limited.

ARBOR, Houston County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. The fire is burning in timber. Up to 15 homes are reported lost.

OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 3,341 acres, 80 percent contained. Several structures and a gas plant are threatened. The fire is burning in pine plantation.

101 RANCH, Palo Pinto County. 6,555 acres, 85 percent contained. The fire is burning on the south side of Possum Kingdom Lake near the town of Brad. Thirty-nine homes and nine RVs have been reported destroyed. Crews continue to mop up and aircraft are monitoring.

Weather Outlook:
A surface ridge of dry high pressure will maintain a dry air mass over the Lone Star State into early in the week as it gradually begins to shift on off to the east of the area. Winds across the panhandle and deep south Texas south of Interstate 10 will have a southerly component today. Even as dew points begin to increase in some areas, warmer temperatures will lead to continued low relative humidity. Among the driest locations in the state today will be those near the Interstate 35 corridor and east, where winds could be around 10 mph sustained for a brief period in the afternoon to early evening. Wind gusts approaching 15 mph are possible in this area.

High temperatures will continue on a warming trend ranging from the mid-80s to upper 90s in most places. However, high temperatures will exceed 100 over some parts of South Texas.Poor overnight recoveries will continue for areas away from the coast, especially locations west of Interstate 35. Very dry conditions again today. Light and variable winds in the morning becoming northwesterly 6-8 mph gusts to 10-15 mph. the sea breeze should move into the areas south of a Woodville to Conroe line late in the afternoon. Afternoon humidity falling to 11-16 percent except south of the sea breeze where relative humidity will only fall to around 35 percent. Skies will be mostly sunny throughout the day in the north and will become partly cloudy after 10 a.m. in the south. Afternoon highs 92-101. Moderate overnight recoveries of 55-65 percent north and 75-95 percent in the south.

They are doing a great job getting the job done out there.
My son and his wife close on their new home just blocks from one of these fires tomorrow morning.