Texas wildfires-Updated

[vbhoutex]

With the drought here in Texas we are having a lot of wildfires all over the state. This thread will be to post about them.
I know there are more than what I am posting. This is an email from Jeff Lindner:

Fire Weather Emergency (Bastrop County)‏

Bastrop County: Massive wildfire burning in Bastrop County has grown rapidly to 6,000 acres. Fire is burning forward at 40-50mph. Several towns have ordered mandatory evacuations including Bastrop State Park, Lake Bastrop Pine, and Circle D Acres to the Colorado River. Several homes are being threatened. Numerous local and state agencies are responding with both ground and air assists. Radar is showing a tremendous 40-45dbz with this fire.


Colorado County: 1,400 acre fire is burning along I-10 near Columbus. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for the Piney Hills area. Fire is not contained and is burning toward I-10. Numerous local departments and TFS is responding.


Katy Fire: Grass fire is burning in Katy near I-10 and SH 99. Several large commercial buildings are being threatened. Numerous fire departments are responding.


Conditions remain very critical for the formation and rapid spread of wildfires as noted by NNW winds of 30-40mph, dry fuels, and low RH. Fires that have developed this afternoon have grown to several thousand acres in less than 4 hours.

[Shoshana]

There are multiple fires just in Austin which is in Travis County.

The number of fires burning in an around Travis County today has led the Austin Fire Department to ask for 25 firefighters to call back in for possible activation. They are being asked to call 978-1187 if they are available to come in to work and help out with these fires. AFD will be determining how many firefighters to activate immediately and how many may be activated later.

The fire in Bastrop County is the biggest one in the area and the news just reported that there is no air support available to fight it. (That was TWC) You can easily see it on radar.

There are evacuations going on in Bastrop, Pflugerville and Steiner Ranch.

I can't find one website which is showing all current Texas fires

Central Texas fire evacuations

by KVUE News

kvue.com

Posted on September 4, 2011 at 5:27 PM

Updated today at 6:42 PM

Mandatory Evacuations have been released for the following areas:

Steiner Ranch
Wilderness Ridge
Cedar Creek
Allen Creek
Tahitian Village
Circle D County Acres
Schwantz Ranch Road
Old Potato Road
Highyway 21 east to Paige
Luther Hill in Fayette County
Spicewood

Information on fires in Central Texas
Information on closures, fires and contacts

Updated: Sunday, 04 Sep 2011, 7:21 PM CDT
Published : Sunday, 04 Sep 2011, 7:02 PM CDT

John Bumgardner

AUSTIN (KXAN) - ||| AFD is looking for 25 firefighters to call back in for possible activation. If you could please help us get the word out with the number they need to call, that would be incredibly helpful. AFD Firefighters who are available to come in to work should call 978-1187 as soon as possible. AFD will be taking contact information and determining exactly how many folks we need to activate immediately.

||| STEINER RANCH: Crews are on scene of a brush fire in Steiner Ranch near 620 and Mansfield Dam. All residents are being evacuated.

||| Pflugerville: Firefighters are fighting several fires in Central Texas. The Reserve at West Creek subdivision is being evacuated. Officials say 192 homes have been vacated on Hoddie Lane which is a 4-alarm fire.

SPICEWOOD: Crews are fighting a 2-alarm fire in Spicewood. Mandatory evacuations are also taking place. Large fire near the southwest side of Lake Travis. Austin, Lake Travis, Westlake C-bar, STARFlight 1 and 2 along with Pedernales and Spicewood Fire departments are fighting the 300-400 acre fire. Homes have been destroyed, fire is heading east, hopped Highway 71. Residents in Fall Creek Estates and Pale Face Ranch Road must evacuate immediately. Call Pedernales Fire Departmenr for more info on Spicewood and Briarcliff areas at 264-1476. Briarcliff is not included in the evacuations at this time.

||| LIBERTY HILL: Fire is threatening homes in Liberty Hill. No word on evacuations.

||| BASTROP: A mandatory evacuation notice has been issued for people in the following locations due to the threat of a wildfire...Circle D County Acres area...Pine view west...Lake Bastrop...Pine...Portions of Tahitian Village...Colovista...Alan creek...Bastrop State Park...and residents along Harmon Road and Pine Hill Loop. If you are in danger and cannot evacuate from this area...please call 911.

||| LA GRANGE: La Grange has major brush fires. Parts of town north off hwy 71 evacuated. Several structure fires reported.

||| Central Texas remains under a wind advisory for the counties of Bastrop, Caldwell, De Witt, Fayette, Gonzales, Lavaca, Lee, Travis, Williamson until 8:00p.m.

Wildfires Rip Through North Texas

Published : Sunday, 04 Sep 2011, 6:01 PM CDT

FOX 4 News myfoxdfw.com

FOX 4 News
myfoxdfw.com Web Team

DALLAS - A series of wildfires across North Texas have burned hundreds of acres and forced the evacuations of some communities.

In Navarro County, officials say at least nine separate fires have burned a total of 2,000 acres. A large fire in the city of Corsicana destroyed eight structures while smoke diminished visibility so severely that some area roads had to be closed.

Navarro County officials say residents in the towns of Mildred and Navarro have been evacuated from their homes. The Red Cross is on the scene helping displaced residents. The administration building at Mildred High School is open to evacuees.

All 25 Navarro County volunteer fire departments and the Texas Forest Service are on scene fighting the wildfires. No injuries have been reported.

In Ellis County, a series of wildfires threatened as many as 50 homes. A spokesman for the Texas Forest Service says they deployed three air tankers and two helicopters to help get the fires under control.

[TXGale]

Map of active fires in Texas. Getting a little scary.
http://ticc.tamu.edu/Response/FireActivity/

[Shoshana]

Map of active fires in Texas. Getting a little scary.
http://ticc.tamu.edu/Response/FireActivity/

TY What's even scarier is that not all the fires are even on there.

[cycloneye]

Take a look at this loop of the smoke plumes near Austin.

[Shoshana]

The big plume is from the Bastrop fire

[Portastorm]

Very predominant smell of smoke here in Austin as of 10 p.m. Situation worsening in the area. Wow, never seen this in my 27 years here.

[Nikki]

Very predominant smell of smoke here in Austin as of 10 p.m. Situation worsening in the area. Wow, never seen this in my 27 years here.

So sorry to hear Portastorm! I have a friend who is having to evacuate in Bastrop County! I am praying and will continue to pray for everyone's safety and for rain!

[Portastorm]

Yeah, I have a co-worker who lives in Bastrop. Her parents and brother are staying with her tonight as both of their homes appear to have been lost already. It's madness.

[Nikki]

It is madness.........I have never heard of so many wildfires burning at one time in Texas that I can remember...no rain on the horizon and our winter is supposed to be a dry one too, right? We maybe in a world of hurt before things get better!

[South Texas Storms]

Very predominant smell of smoke here in Austin as of 10 p.m. Situation worsening in the area. Wow, never seen this in my 27 years here.

Sorry to hear about that Porta. We had a fire near College Station earlier this afternoon and I could still see the haziness and smell the smoke a few hours ago. So sad. I can't believe that tomorrow is going to be even worse.

[Portastorm]

Residents who live in Bastrop and who are downwind of the fires are being told now to be ready to evacuate for as along as a week. They are being told to pack now.

Meanwhile, a critical call for any and all available firefighters has gone out here in Central Texas. Anyone with firefighting experience is asked to call (512) 978-1187.

[Nikki]

Residents who live in Bastrop and who are downwind of the fires are being told now to be ready to evacuate for as along as a week. They are being told to pack now.

Meanwhile, a critical call for any and all available firefighters has gone out here in Central Texas. Anyone with firefighting experience is asked to call (512) 978-1187.

Porta I am going to quote your last sentence here and place it on my FB page to help get the word out, I hope that is ok.

[Shoshana]

I could see the smoke from one of the P'ville fires earlier.

I just saw the news and in the Bastrop and Spicewood fires they aren't even trying to fight the fires as much as get all the people out of danger. The Steiner Ranch fire is big. There's also a big Pedernales fire and it's heading towards a populated area. It's gotten to the Pedernales river, but the river is dry.

The Bastrop fire has burned 14,000 acres and at least 300 houses. Steiner Ranch has been evacuated - 4000 homes. 25 houses have burned.

I don't know how many, but they have evacuated in the Spicewood area too.

Honestly, my head is spinning.

[jeff]

Monday will be worse. N winds 30-40mph with RH less than 20%. It is going to be a really bad day on Monday, hundreds of more homes will burn. All areas are threatened.

[Houstonia]

Police, Fire and EMS scanners available here:

Bastrop County Public Safety http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=529

Austin Police and Travis County Public Safety http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=1700

[vbhoutex]

Recieved this email from Jeff Lindner:

Extraordinary Wildfire event unfolding across Texas!

Anyone with fire fighting experience is being asked to call 512-978-1187 (all fire fighting resources are depleted at this time around Austin and across central TX)

Fires are moving so fast that ground crews are taking defensive measures around structures only/or evacuating downstream of the fire and pulling ground crews. Fire lines are being nearly continuously overrun on all the major fires with the strong winds in place. Thousands of homes are being threatened and hundreds are burning.


Bastrop Fire: Over 14,000 acres burning (fire is 16 miles long). 1000’s homes threatened, 300 homes lost. Fire has jumped the Colorado River in two locations. Massive evacuations are in progress. Residents in The Colony, Colovista and Tahitian Village Subdivisions must leave immediately, the fire is rapidly approaching these areas. All ground fire-fighting crews have been pulled from the front side of this fire as this fire has developed into a full-fledged fire storm with strong inflow and outflow winds near the fire resulting in erratic and very dangerous fire spread. Ground crews cannot hold front fire lines. Countless agencies are responding with at least 30 fire departments on scene and mutual aid requested from the entire state of TX. Heavy air support is dropping both water and fire retardant. Numerous roads are closed including HWY 21 and HWY 71. Fire is 0% contained



Steiner Ranch Fire: 4,000 homes threatened, 25 homes lost. Fire continues to burn in heavy brush and Cedar trees in NW Travis County near Lake Travis. Much of the Steiner Ranch area is under a mandatory evacuation order. Fire is 0% contained.



Columbus Fire: 2,000 acres burning near I-10 on the east side of Columbus. TFS dozer crews are cutting fire lines while local fire departments are offering structure protection. Fire is 20% contained.



LaGrange Fire: Heavy brush and grass fire on the north side of HWY 71 near LaGrange. Numerous homes are threatened some have been lost. No estimate on containment.

Walker County Fire: 500 acres burning near I-45 and FM 1696. 100 homes threatened. No estimate on containment.

N Hays County Fire: 25 acre fire in heavy grass. 4 homes burned, at least 50 threatened. No estimate on containment.

Spicewood Fire: 400 acres on the SW side of Lake Travis. Homes are burning, numerous homes are threatened.

Forecast:

Absolutely horrible fire weather conditions for Monday. Cold front now surging SE through C TX will reach the coast late tonight and strong NW winds will return. In Central TX winds of 20-30mph will continue now through Monday evening. Very dangerous fire weather conditions are in place and will continue with rapid spread and large long crown runs. All areas will be at critical conditions by 900am Monday and continue through 900pm Monday.

This is a very dangerous fire weather situation. Have a plan if a fire approaches your area, you may only have minutes to leave. If told to evacuate do so immediately, it will save your life

!

[vbhoutex]

I am very concerned for our whole state, but don't even want to think about what may happen if some IDIOT throws out a cigarette butt or decides they need to burn trash anywhere near any of the even more heavily populated areas or urban areas. This entire state is a tinderbox just waiting to explode.

[setxsunshine]

this is horrible! I can't help fight the fires but I can sure pray!!

[Shoshana]

Bastrop Humane Society has been evacuated - looks like Austin Pets Alive! has been able to take them in for the night. They had a call out for fosters (I think for the animals that were at their shelter) and they got enough people to help for tonight