High winds prompt red flag warning for N. Texas
From The Dallas Morning News
Even with a slight boost in humidity some parts of North Texas, high winds across the entire region have led the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning Thursday.
Red flag warnings are designed to alert residents and firefighters about the possibility of blazes that can spread rapidly and unpredictably. Before dawn Thursday, dozens of firefighters were needed to contain a grass fire that burned an area near Interstate 30 and Buckner Boulevard in East Dallas.
NWS meteorologist Joe Harris said the criteria for red flag warnings are usually sustained winds of 20 mph or more and midday to afternoon humidity of below 30 percent. Thursday's winds were expected to be 20 to 30 mph with some gusts to 35 mph.
Humidity will be below 30 percent west of a line that runs through Bonham, Dallas and Lampasas. East of the line, humidity will be in the mid- to upper 30 percent range, reaching the mid-40s near Centerville, Palestine and Athens.
The warning covers the entire North Texas region, despite the slightly higher humidity levels toward the east.
"Because of the extreme nature of this situation, we have kind of weighted more toward the wind than the humidity levels," Harris said. "What we're finding out on these red flag warnings … winds play the most important part."
The warning will expire at 6 p.m., but likely will be reissued Friday, he said.
High temperatures continue to soar above normal. Thursday's temperature was expected to reach about 75 degrees, when the average for this time of year is 54 degrees. The low was expected to fall only to 55 degrees.
Every day in January, the high temperature has exceeded the mid-50s norm – sometimes by nearly 30 degrees – except Tuesday, when it hit the 54 degree average.
Friday's forecast calls for a high of 72 degrees and 15 to 20 mph winds, while Saturday will be about 12 degrees cooler and the wind will be far less of a factor, Harris said.
Sunday's forecast calls for a 30 percent chance for rain and a high temperature near 53 degrees. Monday should be partly cloudy with a high around 50 degrees.
"Once we get through Friday, we'll probably eliminate the red flag for a while," he said. "That doesn't mean a wildfire can't get started."
CONTINUING COVERAGE: Extreme Wildfire Danger / Drought
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TexasStooge
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TexasStooge
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Foundations need help now
By CARLA JORDAN / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Is 2006 the year that "Big D" stands for drought, dry or doggone parched? For homeowners, the big question is what to do to protect foundations until raindrops start falling again.
Foundation problems are on the rise. "Calls for foundation repair to both our company and North Texas members of the Foundation Repair Association are up double from last year," says James Dutton, owner of Du-West Foundation Repair and president/national treasurer of the Foundation Repair Association, DFW chapter.
"Dallas is currently being hit harder by drought-related foundation problems than any other market in the state," Mr. Dutton says.
Experts say that now is the time to bring out the watering tools and implement an accelerated winter home irrigation plan to protect foundations now and in the future. "The effects of this drought will affect foundations for at least the next three years," he says.
"Even homes being built during the drought will be impacted because when it finally rains, they'll experience 'edge lift' when the ground swells, creating a perimeter higher than the interior, which will require a foundation repair.
"Foundation care needs to be on the forefront of owners of homes of all types and all ages."
Effective watering
The trick is to strike a balance between under- and overwatering. "It's pretty simple to determine how much to water," notes Mike DeShazer, chief operating officer of Olshan Foundation Repair.
"If you're tracking in mud, you've watered too much. Likewise, if you can't feel any moisture in the soil, it's time to water more."
Drought periods require watering more than around a foundation to provide adequate protection. "Trees and shrubs within 10 feet of the foundation must be watered, too," says Mr. DeShazer.
"Our unseasonably warm dry weather is causing a 'false spring' so trees and plants are already beginning to bud much earlier than they normally do. As this occurs, their root systems will pull water from anywhere, including foundation areas, which can cause homes to settle and create foundation problems."
Proper use of watering tools is also important. Soaker hoses not properly installed and monitored and sprinkler systems that run too long waste water and leave standing water around a foundation, causing problems like soil erosion.
What you can do
The good news is that until our rain dance prayers are answered, there are simple and easy ways to protect your home's foundation:
Check sprinkler system heads that are located near the foundation. Replace "partial heads" that send water toward the yard only and away from the foundation with "full heads" that deliver water in all directions.
If using a soaker hose, just barely turn on the faucet. "Less than one quarter of a turn will deliver adequate water," according to Mr. DeShazer of Olshan.
"Place the soaker hose face-down 12 to 18 inches away from the foundation and let it slowly drip," says Pat Rodriguez, manager of Brown Foundation Repair.
Consistently water trees, shrubs and plants near the foundation by hand or sprinkler system so foundation-area soil won't be robbed of moisture by surrounding landscaping.
Use a combination of tools, including sprinkler systems, soaker hoses, water monitors and eyes and hands, for monitoring water use, foundation appearance and soil condition.
If symptoms of foundation trouble appear, including exterior cracks, cracks in drywall and corners, cracks around windows and doors, and doors that stick or won't close, bring in a pro quickly.
Problems detected and treated early on are less expensive than those that have worsened over time.
Take the time to check around first. Contact resources such as the Better Business Bureau (companies quoted in this story are Better Business Bureau members listed with satisfactory records) and http://www.AnniesList.com (an online service with feedback from consumers about businesses they've used).
Talk with friends and neighbors about foundation companies they've used.
Then, get a couple of estimates with referrals from prospective companies. It pays to research and compare prices.
Carla Jordan is an Irving freelance writer.
By CARLA JORDAN / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Is 2006 the year that "Big D" stands for drought, dry or doggone parched? For homeowners, the big question is what to do to protect foundations until raindrops start falling again.
Foundation problems are on the rise. "Calls for foundation repair to both our company and North Texas members of the Foundation Repair Association are up double from last year," says James Dutton, owner of Du-West Foundation Repair and president/national treasurer of the Foundation Repair Association, DFW chapter.
"Dallas is currently being hit harder by drought-related foundation problems than any other market in the state," Mr. Dutton says.
Experts say that now is the time to bring out the watering tools and implement an accelerated winter home irrigation plan to protect foundations now and in the future. "The effects of this drought will affect foundations for at least the next three years," he says.
"Even homes being built during the drought will be impacted because when it finally rains, they'll experience 'edge lift' when the ground swells, creating a perimeter higher than the interior, which will require a foundation repair.
"Foundation care needs to be on the forefront of owners of homes of all types and all ages."
Effective watering
The trick is to strike a balance between under- and overwatering. "It's pretty simple to determine how much to water," notes Mike DeShazer, chief operating officer of Olshan Foundation Repair.
"If you're tracking in mud, you've watered too much. Likewise, if you can't feel any moisture in the soil, it's time to water more."
Drought periods require watering more than around a foundation to provide adequate protection. "Trees and shrubs within 10 feet of the foundation must be watered, too," says Mr. DeShazer.
"Our unseasonably warm dry weather is causing a 'false spring' so trees and plants are already beginning to bud much earlier than they normally do. As this occurs, their root systems will pull water from anywhere, including foundation areas, which can cause homes to settle and create foundation problems."
Proper use of watering tools is also important. Soaker hoses not properly installed and monitored and sprinkler systems that run too long waste water and leave standing water around a foundation, causing problems like soil erosion.
What you can do
The good news is that until our rain dance prayers are answered, there are simple and easy ways to protect your home's foundation:
Check sprinkler system heads that are located near the foundation. Replace "partial heads" that send water toward the yard only and away from the foundation with "full heads" that deliver water in all directions.
If using a soaker hose, just barely turn on the faucet. "Less than one quarter of a turn will deliver adequate water," according to Mr. DeShazer of Olshan.
"Place the soaker hose face-down 12 to 18 inches away from the foundation and let it slowly drip," says Pat Rodriguez, manager of Brown Foundation Repair.
Consistently water trees, shrubs and plants near the foundation by hand or sprinkler system so foundation-area soil won't be robbed of moisture by surrounding landscaping.
Use a combination of tools, including sprinkler systems, soaker hoses, water monitors and eyes and hands, for monitoring water use, foundation appearance and soil condition.
If symptoms of foundation trouble appear, including exterior cracks, cracks in drywall and corners, cracks around windows and doors, and doors that stick or won't close, bring in a pro quickly.
Problems detected and treated early on are less expensive than those that have worsened over time.
Take the time to check around first. Contact resources such as the Better Business Bureau (companies quoted in this story are Better Business Bureau members listed with satisfactory records) and http://www.AnniesList.com (an online service with feedback from consumers about businesses they've used).
Talk with friends and neighbors about foundation companies they've used.
Then, get a couple of estimates with referrals from prospective companies. It pays to research and compare prices.
Carla Jordan is an Irving freelance writer.
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TexasStooge
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- Contact:
Wildfire breaks out in Parker County
POOLVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters are on the scene of a wildfire in Parker County.
The flames are burning in the area southeast of Poolville, near Zion Hill Road.
Helicopters are also battling the fire, dropping water from above.
We know one firefighter responding on the ground was injured.
His truck went off the road into a ditch.
He was transported by care flight in an unknown condition.
POOLVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters are on the scene of a wildfire in Parker County.
The flames are burning in the area southeast of Poolville, near Zion Hill Road.
Helicopters are also battling the fire, dropping water from above.
We know one firefighter responding on the ground was injured.
His truck went off the road into a ditch.
He was transported by care flight in an unknown condition.
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TexasStooge
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Frisco residents asked to save water
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
FRISCO, Texas - Frisco, like many other cities, is asking residents to do their part to help conserve water because mandatory restrictions could be just around the corner.
Under the current stage two drought contingency plan, residents are asked to voluntarily conserve.
But projections indicate residents might face mandatory water use restrictions by March.
Stage three means limits on draining and filling pools, washing cars, and hosing paved areas and buildings.
If the drought continues, conservation plans could go to stage four by the summer, and means, even tighter restrictions.
Lake Lavon is the primary source of water for water district members and officials say right now the lake is down 10 feet with no positive signs of improvement anytime soon.
Frisco city leaders are trying to do prevent further restrictions, in part by asking residents to:
Use soaker hoses, not sprinklers to maintain foundation moisture.
Irrigate landscaping by hand using garden hoses.
Operate residential sprinkler systems in manual mode only once a week.
Do not water during rain or during temperatures 40 degrees or below.
Do not allow water to spray sidewalks or runoff into streets.
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
FRISCO, Texas - Frisco, like many other cities, is asking residents to do their part to help conserve water because mandatory restrictions could be just around the corner.
Under the current stage two drought contingency plan, residents are asked to voluntarily conserve.
But projections indicate residents might face mandatory water use restrictions by March.
Stage three means limits on draining and filling pools, washing cars, and hosing paved areas and buildings.
If the drought continues, conservation plans could go to stage four by the summer, and means, even tighter restrictions.
Lake Lavon is the primary source of water for water district members and officials say right now the lake is down 10 feet with no positive signs of improvement anytime soon.
Frisco city leaders are trying to do prevent further restrictions, in part by asking residents to:
Use soaker hoses, not sprinklers to maintain foundation moisture.
Irrigate landscaping by hand using garden hoses.
Operate residential sprinkler systems in manual mode only once a week.
Do not water during rain or during temperatures 40 degrees or below.
Do not allow water to spray sidewalks or runoff into streets.
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TexasStooge
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Respite from fire risk won't ease drought
By IAN McCANN / The Dallas Morning News
The spritz of rain that fell Saturday night and Sunday moistened the ground but was nowhere near enough to quench North Texas' thirst for a good storm.
Official rainfall totals are still nearly 18 inches short of the normal 34.73 inches in the last 12 months. More relief could come midweek. Forecasters say there's a 20 percent chance for rain as early as Wednesday night.
The rain – the first measurable precipitation officially recorded at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport since Dec. 20 – and high humidity provided temporary but welcome relief from fire danger. Two-thirds of an inch fell at the airport Sunday.
"This is the first day in a while we haven't had any new fires on the board," said Les Wadzinski, an information officer for the Texas Forest Service's Granbury office. "It was a much-needed slow day. The crews are still on, but they're having a chance to rest a bit."
Weatherford Fire Department Capt. Juan Fulton said the rain brought another problem: traffic accidents because of slick roadways.
"It leveled off for us after lunch," Capt. Fulton said. "We've sat back and regrouped a bit. Today, we've caught ourselves sometimes just walking around."
The last month has been harrowing for the largest department in Parker County, he said. If grass fires weren't burning in city limits, the department was assisting others in smaller towns and rural areas of the county west of Fort Worth. There's been little rest even for off-duty firefighters.
"We just put our lives – everything – on hold," Capt. Fulton said. "You have the sense that you have to be ready to go any time. You've got to come in to assist because the on-duty guys are all out running around. For the past month or so, everybody's been guarded."
National Weather Service meteorologist Vick Corbelli said the rain barely made a dent in the area's long-running drought. "All it does is fill in some cracks on the surface," Mr. Corbelli said. "It'll give us some moisture on the ground, but surface water will dry out pretty quick."
For fire danger to really subside, Mr. Corbelli said, a slow, extended rainfall is needed to replenish groundwater and to let new vegetation replace dead and dormant grasses.
Dallas County Fire Marshal Bob Grant said the soaking doesn't change the burn ban that's in effect. But he said the county has fared better than many others in the region.
"Dallas County really hasn't had a tremendous amount of fires," Mr. Grant said. "The city of Dallas has had a couple, but we've been quite fortunate in the unincorporated areas. Nothing like Wise and Parker counties and rural areas like that."
Tom Witherspoon, vice president of the Foundation Repair Association, said that Sunday's rain was good for homes, but that there's a long way to go.
"This was a good rain, but it doesn't take away any problems that have been caused," Mr. Witherspoon said. "It was a good soaking rain. But they're going to have to keep watering. This is not going to be enough."
Through Saturday night and Sunday, most of North Texas received a half-inch to an inch of rain. Some places, including northern Denton and Collin counties, had higher totals, but not by much.
Skies over the Dallas-Fort Worth area are expected to clear Monday, with a chance for rain returning toward the end of the week. Storms are possible Wednesday night, more likely throughout the day Thursday and are expected to dissipate Friday.
That little bit of drying could mean that grass fires will return. Fire danger doesn't go away as it's raining, Mr. Wadzinski said, because lightning strikes are a threat to the dry grass.
"It's not every square inch that's getting rained on," he said.
Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kent Worley said he and other firefighters are glad to see the rain. He said smaller departments experience more strain than those like Fort Worth or Dallas.
"These guys, especially the volunteer firefighters, are just worn out," Lt. Worley said. "It's almost better this happened on a Sunday, when most of them are off work so they can get that much-needed rest. For us who are professional firefighters, we do the 24/48 [24 hours on, 48 hours off], but those guys are out there every single day."
By IAN McCANN / The Dallas Morning News
The spritz of rain that fell Saturday night and Sunday moistened the ground but was nowhere near enough to quench North Texas' thirst for a good storm.
Official rainfall totals are still nearly 18 inches short of the normal 34.73 inches in the last 12 months. More relief could come midweek. Forecasters say there's a 20 percent chance for rain as early as Wednesday night.
The rain – the first measurable precipitation officially recorded at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport since Dec. 20 – and high humidity provided temporary but welcome relief from fire danger. Two-thirds of an inch fell at the airport Sunday.
"This is the first day in a while we haven't had any new fires on the board," said Les Wadzinski, an information officer for the Texas Forest Service's Granbury office. "It was a much-needed slow day. The crews are still on, but they're having a chance to rest a bit."
Weatherford Fire Department Capt. Juan Fulton said the rain brought another problem: traffic accidents because of slick roadways.
"It leveled off for us after lunch," Capt. Fulton said. "We've sat back and regrouped a bit. Today, we've caught ourselves sometimes just walking around."
The last month has been harrowing for the largest department in Parker County, he said. If grass fires weren't burning in city limits, the department was assisting others in smaller towns and rural areas of the county west of Fort Worth. There's been little rest even for off-duty firefighters.
"We just put our lives – everything – on hold," Capt. Fulton said. "You have the sense that you have to be ready to go any time. You've got to come in to assist because the on-duty guys are all out running around. For the past month or so, everybody's been guarded."
National Weather Service meteorologist Vick Corbelli said the rain barely made a dent in the area's long-running drought. "All it does is fill in some cracks on the surface," Mr. Corbelli said. "It'll give us some moisture on the ground, but surface water will dry out pretty quick."
For fire danger to really subside, Mr. Corbelli said, a slow, extended rainfall is needed to replenish groundwater and to let new vegetation replace dead and dormant grasses.
Dallas County Fire Marshal Bob Grant said the soaking doesn't change the burn ban that's in effect. But he said the county has fared better than many others in the region.
"Dallas County really hasn't had a tremendous amount of fires," Mr. Grant said. "The city of Dallas has had a couple, but we've been quite fortunate in the unincorporated areas. Nothing like Wise and Parker counties and rural areas like that."
Tom Witherspoon, vice president of the Foundation Repair Association, said that Sunday's rain was good for homes, but that there's a long way to go.
"This was a good rain, but it doesn't take away any problems that have been caused," Mr. Witherspoon said. "It was a good soaking rain. But they're going to have to keep watering. This is not going to be enough."
Through Saturday night and Sunday, most of North Texas received a half-inch to an inch of rain. Some places, including northern Denton and Collin counties, had higher totals, but not by much.
Skies over the Dallas-Fort Worth area are expected to clear Monday, with a chance for rain returning toward the end of the week. Storms are possible Wednesday night, more likely throughout the day Thursday and are expected to dissipate Friday.
That little bit of drying could mean that grass fires will return. Fire danger doesn't go away as it's raining, Mr. Wadzinski said, because lightning strikes are a threat to the dry grass.
"It's not every square inch that's getting rained on," he said.
Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kent Worley said he and other firefighters are glad to see the rain. He said smaller departments experience more strain than those like Fort Worth or Dallas.
"These guys, especially the volunteer firefighters, are just worn out," Lt. Worley said. "It's almost better this happened on a Sunday, when most of them are off work so they can get that much-needed rest. For us who are professional firefighters, we do the 24/48 [24 hours on, 48 hours off], but those guys are out there every single day."
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TexasStooge
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Rainfall won't end burn ban
In persistent drought conditions, N. Texas officials writing tickets
By JON NIELSEN and LINDA LEAVELL / The Dallas Morning News
Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh has been disappointing optimistic Collin County residents who believed the recent rain meant an end to the burn ban.
"It hasn't been lifted," he said. "So we have to tell people no."
For months, fire officials have used the airwaves and newspapers to notify residents about burn bans in 211 counties across the state.
For the most part, the messages are coming through loud and clear.
Most North Texas cities haven't seen the need to hand out any tickets related to burning violations.
"You couldn't live here without seeing or hearing about the ban," said Stephen Lea, assistant fire marshal in Arlington.
Sunday's smattering of rain – officially two-thirds of an inch at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – did virtually nothing to end the enduring drought.
From Jan. 1, 2005, through Wednesday, the region is 16.63 inches behind on its rainfall total, which would normally be 36.26 inches, according to National Weather Service statistics.
Even a storm that is expected to arrive this weekend is likely to drop only about a quarter- to a half-inch of rain across North Texas, with some places getting up to an inch.
"We're going to need a lot more big rain events to really alleviate the drought, but this will certainly help," National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Fano said Thurday. "We have to take every little bit that we can."
Although the rain may supply a bit of relief from the wildfire danger, authorities will continue to enforce all burn bans.
Mr. Lea said only two citations had been issued in Arlington, which seems to indicate that people are aware of the restrictions and are taking them more seriously than in previous years.
But there are always exceptions. Despite media coverage, some people choose to burn or say they didn't know about the bans. Officials in unincorporated parts of Collin and Rockwall counties have issued nearly 100 tickets combined since burn bans were enacted.
Earlier this month, as Mr. Deffibaugh stood in a family's living room writing a ticket for burning trash in a barrel, the television was blaring a news story about the burn bans.
Rockwall County sheriff's Deputy Wesley Roberts said the department has issued 55 tickets for violations since September, when his county's ban first went into effect. He said most of those have come during the last two months; the total doesn't include violations within Rockwall or Royse City limits.
"In September, we were giving more warnings than anything," said Deputy Roberts, who is also the county's fire marshal. "Since things got really bad in December, we've strictly been writing tickets."
In Collin County, Mr. Deffibaugh said his office and the Sheriff's Department have issued 43 citations since Dec. 27. Fines can be as much as $2,000. His office has also arrested a person at a home where another resident had been cited for illegal burning a day earlier.
Citations appear to be on the rise in McKinney, but figures weren't available this week, officials said.
"Our citations are up – and they are up as a result of citizen reports, which would indicate our message is resonating in the community," said Steve Hill, McKinney's communications manager.
"We prefer to educate people rather than cite them, but if you're burning something that is not in compliance with the county emergency declaration or city ordinances, we're going to cite you," Mr. Hill said.
Grand Prairie officials have issued public service announcements on the local community cable channel telling residents how to help during the burn bans.
Most bans prohibit fires in barrels, open fires, campfires and fireworks. In some cases, outdoor grills are not considered open fires. Because the bans vary by jurisdiction, residents are asked to contact city officials or county commissioners if they are unsure what is prohibited.
Lt. David Davis of the Rockwall County Sheriff's Department said his county has lifted a ban on outdoor welding but encourages welders to have a spotter monitor flying sparks. The images of towns such as Ringgold in Montague County being all but wiped out by fire have kept some residents on the lookout for those who violate the bans.
Randy Slack, a senior fire investigator for the city of Plano, said he has had an "overabundance of calls from residents concerned about their neighbors' smoking practices."
In Rockwall County, people seem to understand that conditions outdoors are dangerous, Mr. Roberts said. More people are calling the department concerned about fire hazards, he said, and others are taking precautions such as removing dry grass from their property.
In general, fewer citations appear to have been issued in Dallas County than in counties with more open spaces, where trash burning is more common.
Dallas County Fire Marshal Bob Grant said he had issued only three citations for illegal use of combustible materials, a Class C misdemeanor, between Dec. 31 and the end of last week. All involved openly burning trash or debris in unincorporated areas of the county.
"Dallas County citizens have been really good. I believe they're being cautious," Mr. Grant said. "For the most part, people are being real cooperative."
When Mr. Deffibaugh issues a citation, he always wants to know why.
"I always ask them do they know we're under a burn ban. And most of the time they say no," he said. "What planet are you from? We've been under a burn ban since June 24. ... Unfortunately, there's not a law against stupidity."
Staff writers Brandon Formby, Louise Applebome, David Tarrant, Jeff Mosier, Debra Dennis, Ian McCann and Kathy A. Goolsby contributed to this report.
In persistent drought conditions, N. Texas officials writing tickets
By JON NIELSEN and LINDA LEAVELL / The Dallas Morning News
Fire Marshal Steve Deffibaugh has been disappointing optimistic Collin County residents who believed the recent rain meant an end to the burn ban.
"It hasn't been lifted," he said. "So we have to tell people no."
For months, fire officials have used the airwaves and newspapers to notify residents about burn bans in 211 counties across the state.
For the most part, the messages are coming through loud and clear.
Most North Texas cities haven't seen the need to hand out any tickets related to burning violations.
"You couldn't live here without seeing or hearing about the ban," said Stephen Lea, assistant fire marshal in Arlington.
Sunday's smattering of rain – officially two-thirds of an inch at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – did virtually nothing to end the enduring drought.
From Jan. 1, 2005, through Wednesday, the region is 16.63 inches behind on its rainfall total, which would normally be 36.26 inches, according to National Weather Service statistics.
Even a storm that is expected to arrive this weekend is likely to drop only about a quarter- to a half-inch of rain across North Texas, with some places getting up to an inch.
"We're going to need a lot more big rain events to really alleviate the drought, but this will certainly help," National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Fano said Thurday. "We have to take every little bit that we can."
Although the rain may supply a bit of relief from the wildfire danger, authorities will continue to enforce all burn bans.
Mr. Lea said only two citations had been issued in Arlington, which seems to indicate that people are aware of the restrictions and are taking them more seriously than in previous years.
But there are always exceptions. Despite media coverage, some people choose to burn or say they didn't know about the bans. Officials in unincorporated parts of Collin and Rockwall counties have issued nearly 100 tickets combined since burn bans were enacted.
Earlier this month, as Mr. Deffibaugh stood in a family's living room writing a ticket for burning trash in a barrel, the television was blaring a news story about the burn bans.
Rockwall County sheriff's Deputy Wesley Roberts said the department has issued 55 tickets for violations since September, when his county's ban first went into effect. He said most of those have come during the last two months; the total doesn't include violations within Rockwall or Royse City limits.
"In September, we were giving more warnings than anything," said Deputy Roberts, who is also the county's fire marshal. "Since things got really bad in December, we've strictly been writing tickets."
In Collin County, Mr. Deffibaugh said his office and the Sheriff's Department have issued 43 citations since Dec. 27. Fines can be as much as $2,000. His office has also arrested a person at a home where another resident had been cited for illegal burning a day earlier.
Citations appear to be on the rise in McKinney, but figures weren't available this week, officials said.
"Our citations are up – and they are up as a result of citizen reports, which would indicate our message is resonating in the community," said Steve Hill, McKinney's communications manager.
"We prefer to educate people rather than cite them, but if you're burning something that is not in compliance with the county emergency declaration or city ordinances, we're going to cite you," Mr. Hill said.
Grand Prairie officials have issued public service announcements on the local community cable channel telling residents how to help during the burn bans.
Most bans prohibit fires in barrels, open fires, campfires and fireworks. In some cases, outdoor grills are not considered open fires. Because the bans vary by jurisdiction, residents are asked to contact city officials or county commissioners if they are unsure what is prohibited.
Lt. David Davis of the Rockwall County Sheriff's Department said his county has lifted a ban on outdoor welding but encourages welders to have a spotter monitor flying sparks. The images of towns such as Ringgold in Montague County being all but wiped out by fire have kept some residents on the lookout for those who violate the bans.
Randy Slack, a senior fire investigator for the city of Plano, said he has had an "overabundance of calls from residents concerned about their neighbors' smoking practices."
In Rockwall County, people seem to understand that conditions outdoors are dangerous, Mr. Roberts said. More people are calling the department concerned about fire hazards, he said, and others are taking precautions such as removing dry grass from their property.
In general, fewer citations appear to have been issued in Dallas County than in counties with more open spaces, where trash burning is more common.
Dallas County Fire Marshal Bob Grant said he had issued only three citations for illegal use of combustible materials, a Class C misdemeanor, between Dec. 31 and the end of last week. All involved openly burning trash or debris in unincorporated areas of the county.
"Dallas County citizens have been really good. I believe they're being cautious," Mr. Grant said. "For the most part, people are being real cooperative."
When Mr. Deffibaugh issues a citation, he always wants to know why.
"I always ask them do they know we're under a burn ban. And most of the time they say no," he said. "What planet are you from? We've been under a burn ban since June 24. ... Unfortunately, there's not a law against stupidity."
Staff writers Brandon Formby, Louise Applebome, David Tarrant, Jeff Mosier, Debra Dennis, Ian McCann and Kathy A. Goolsby contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Record rainfall does little to ease fire, drought concern
By JON NIELSEN / The Dallas Morning News
A week ago North Texans were pondering the arrival of the next deluge.
Today they got it - and in record amounts.
As of 10 a.m. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport recorded 1.54 inches of rain, surpassing the record for this date of 1.18 inches in 1989. The last time DFW received more than an inch was August 15 when the airport recorded 1.46.
“As we get closer to spring this water will not go to waste,” said Steve Fano, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Even through we’re way behind, it will start to green stuff up and that will ease the fire situation.”
With last weekend’s rainfall of .66 inches, North Texas is at 2.20 inches for the year, a half-inch above normal for the year to date. But it isn’t enough to end the drought.
“We still do need quite a few more days of good rainfall in order to break the drought,” said Jennifer Dunn, another NWS meteorologist. “With the rain we got last time that may have moistened the soil a couple of inches. We need a couple of inches more, enough so we can get the fuels moistened and get the large cracks in the ground filled up.”
Ms. Dunn said today's precipitation won’t even end the fire warnings. Strong winds and low humidity will dry out the vegetation and create a the fire danger, she said . The NWS issued a red flag warning for portions of North Texas, including Dallas, Ellis, Denton, Tarrant and Parker counties, effective from noon to 6 p.m.
Sunday's forecast calls for highs in the lower 70s with west winds of 5 to 15 mph with no rain. A 20 percent chance is forecast for Tuesday night into Wednesday.
By JON NIELSEN / The Dallas Morning News
A week ago North Texans were pondering the arrival of the next deluge.
Today they got it - and in record amounts.
As of 10 a.m. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport recorded 1.54 inches of rain, surpassing the record for this date of 1.18 inches in 1989. The last time DFW received more than an inch was August 15 when the airport recorded 1.46.
“As we get closer to spring this water will not go to waste,” said Steve Fano, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Even through we’re way behind, it will start to green stuff up and that will ease the fire situation.”
With last weekend’s rainfall of .66 inches, North Texas is at 2.20 inches for the year, a half-inch above normal for the year to date. But it isn’t enough to end the drought.
“We still do need quite a few more days of good rainfall in order to break the drought,” said Jennifer Dunn, another NWS meteorologist. “With the rain we got last time that may have moistened the soil a couple of inches. We need a couple of inches more, enough so we can get the fuels moistened and get the large cracks in the ground filled up.”
Ms. Dunn said today's precipitation won’t even end the fire warnings. Strong winds and low humidity will dry out the vegetation and create a the fire danger, she said . The NWS issued a red flag warning for portions of North Texas, including Dallas, Ellis, Denton, Tarrant and Parker counties, effective from noon to 6 p.m.
Sunday's forecast calls for highs in the lower 70s with west winds of 5 to 15 mph with no rain. A 20 percent chance is forecast for Tuesday night into Wednesday.
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Drought making things tough in E. Texas
Dry spell leaves hungry livestock, sickly pines, tough water restrictions
By DIANE JENNINGS / The Dallas Morning News
CENTERVILLE, Texas – From the courthouse to the cafe, the feed stores to the fire station, one topic dominates conversation around the Leon County seat – rain, or the lack of it.
While the Dallas-Fort Worth region has woken up to the hard effects of drought in recent weeks – most notably in the form of grass fires, low lakes and cracked foundations – our East Texas neighbors have been suffering for months.
As measured in rainfall relative to normal, East Texas is far worse off than dusty West Texas.
"East Texas took it in the teeth for 2005," said Travis Miller, a soil and crop science expert at Texas A&M.
Because of recent light rains, the diagnosis for East Texas was upgraded Thursday from "extreme" – the worst rating on the Palmer Drought Severity Index – to merely "severe." Annual rainfall maps show much of the region is 20 inches or more below normal in the past 12 months.
Leon County, for example, got little more than half its normal rain in 2005 – 24.5 inches as compared with the average 43 inches.
In Centerville, population 900, you can feel the effect in the dead grass that crunches underfoot or see it in the many places where there is no more grass.
"You look down and you see bare ground," said rancher Johnny Franks, a retiree from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He says it will take years for the soil to recover from the dry conditions that have stripped it of layers of nutrients.
Mr. Franks also sees effects in the trees dotting his acreage that have turned brown and died. The pines, which he harvests periodically for timber, have been weakened by lack of water and become susceptible to insects and disease, he said.
On the courthouse square, the drought sounds like a fire siren that has blasted several times a day in recent weeks.
"We were going crazy [with] that big bullhorn up there ... sometimes four times a day," said Raylene Peterson, manager of the Southeast Water Supply Corp., which has an office a stone's throw from the mighty horn that summons 25 volunteer firefighters.
"That's the loudest thing you've ever heard in your life, when you're right here. It's horrible."
Mr. Franks, chief of the VFD, said the dry conditions not only make for more fires. There also are fewer places to fill up the fire trucks because ponds once used as water supplies are too low or dried up altogether.
Locals generally abide by a burn ban like the one that was only recently lifted after months in place. But they worry that drivers passing by on I-45 may flick cigarettes out the window and start a minor catastrophe.
Ms. Peterson has been so concerned about possible wildfires that she's stopped cooking on her outdoor grill. "The sparks from the barbecue could catch the grass on fire," she said.
'Hallelujah'
County Judge Byron Ryder said the burn ban forced officials to lease more space to dump trash, which many residents normally would set on fire. Until the ban is reimposed (it could be at any time), folks here are burning trash that had accumulated since last summer.
"Oh, hallelujah," Ms. Peterson said. "It's a very big deal."
In historical terms, the current drought is nowhere near as bad as the six-year dry spell in the 1950s. However, residents here are already comparing this year to 1996, when rainfall was a fraction of the average for several months. Losses to agriculture were measured in the billions of dollars.
Robert Branch, who has spent 30 years raising cattle, said he's never seen Leon County in worse shape.
The water company that serves his house has imposed the most severe water restrictions in the state. All outside watering has been prohibited since June.
"There's no grass," Mr. Branch said of what used to be his yard. "Not even any weeds."
Mr. Branch said the pond he uses to water livestock dried up last summer, and his creek ran dry a few weeks later for the first time in 30 years.
He has resorted to pumping well water into a trough to keep his cattle alive.
Mr. Branch is luckier than some – he pays for the electricity to draw water from his well, but the water itself is free. Others, whose surface water has run dry and who don't have a well, have had to go shopping.
Ms. Peterson's company, which has not had to impose restrictions yet, has installed about a dozen meters for ranchers needing to buy water lines for their livestock. "All the ponds are dry," she said. "The ranchers are using our water to feed their cows."
Water company business was good for the last three months of 2005, she said: "The little man on TV said if you've got St. Augustine grass you've got to water it – no matter how much your bill is."
But by January, use dropped: "They just gave up."
Ranchers haven't given up yet, but they're shrinking their herds, said county extension agent Tommy Neyland, a rancher himself.
"Most of them are cutting 25-50 percent," he estimated.
They have to, because winter grass didn't come up, and it's costly to feed cattle over the long haul. The cost of hay has almost doubled in the last year, and even though Leon County is a big hay producer, local suppliers have run out.
Ms. Peterson said she sees 18-wheelers from as far away as Kansas rumble through town regularly with loads of hay.
Rain: the only topic
Jerry Leathers, who owns Centerville Feed and Supply, said his cows are so hungry that they gather at the gate when they hear his truck rattling down the county road. He said any prospect of rain is big news.
"We're about through talking about the rain we got last week," he explained one recent morning as workers at his business loaded feed into pickup trucks. "Now we're talking about the rain we may get. And if we don't get the rain, that's going to be the topic Monday."
The recent rains made locals ecstatic, if only briefly. "Oh, they would dance naked in the streets," Ms. Peterson said with a chuckle. "That's how thrilled we were."
But no one who knows agriculture thinks a few days of rain has ended the drought.
Mr. Ryder said he is encouraged by recent rains but is keeping an eye on the long-term forecast.
"It's showing anywhere from 3-6 months more of this," he said.
Alan Moller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said the forecast indicates at least three more months of dry, warm weather. After that, he said, "there's hope on the horizon" for a return to normal conditions this summer.
Dry spell leaves hungry livestock, sickly pines, tough water restrictions
By DIANE JENNINGS / The Dallas Morning News
CENTERVILLE, Texas – From the courthouse to the cafe, the feed stores to the fire station, one topic dominates conversation around the Leon County seat – rain, or the lack of it.
While the Dallas-Fort Worth region has woken up to the hard effects of drought in recent weeks – most notably in the form of grass fires, low lakes and cracked foundations – our East Texas neighbors have been suffering for months.
As measured in rainfall relative to normal, East Texas is far worse off than dusty West Texas.
"East Texas took it in the teeth for 2005," said Travis Miller, a soil and crop science expert at Texas A&M.
Because of recent light rains, the diagnosis for East Texas was upgraded Thursday from "extreme" – the worst rating on the Palmer Drought Severity Index – to merely "severe." Annual rainfall maps show much of the region is 20 inches or more below normal in the past 12 months.
Leon County, for example, got little more than half its normal rain in 2005 – 24.5 inches as compared with the average 43 inches.
In Centerville, population 900, you can feel the effect in the dead grass that crunches underfoot or see it in the many places where there is no more grass.
"You look down and you see bare ground," said rancher Johnny Franks, a retiree from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He says it will take years for the soil to recover from the dry conditions that have stripped it of layers of nutrients.
Mr. Franks also sees effects in the trees dotting his acreage that have turned brown and died. The pines, which he harvests periodically for timber, have been weakened by lack of water and become susceptible to insects and disease, he said.
On the courthouse square, the drought sounds like a fire siren that has blasted several times a day in recent weeks.
"We were going crazy [with] that big bullhorn up there ... sometimes four times a day," said Raylene Peterson, manager of the Southeast Water Supply Corp., which has an office a stone's throw from the mighty horn that summons 25 volunteer firefighters.
"That's the loudest thing you've ever heard in your life, when you're right here. It's horrible."
Mr. Franks, chief of the VFD, said the dry conditions not only make for more fires. There also are fewer places to fill up the fire trucks because ponds once used as water supplies are too low or dried up altogether.
Locals generally abide by a burn ban like the one that was only recently lifted after months in place. But they worry that drivers passing by on I-45 may flick cigarettes out the window and start a minor catastrophe.
Ms. Peterson has been so concerned about possible wildfires that she's stopped cooking on her outdoor grill. "The sparks from the barbecue could catch the grass on fire," she said.
'Hallelujah'
County Judge Byron Ryder said the burn ban forced officials to lease more space to dump trash, which many residents normally would set on fire. Until the ban is reimposed (it could be at any time), folks here are burning trash that had accumulated since last summer.
"Oh, hallelujah," Ms. Peterson said. "It's a very big deal."
In historical terms, the current drought is nowhere near as bad as the six-year dry spell in the 1950s. However, residents here are already comparing this year to 1996, when rainfall was a fraction of the average for several months. Losses to agriculture were measured in the billions of dollars.
Robert Branch, who has spent 30 years raising cattle, said he's never seen Leon County in worse shape.
The water company that serves his house has imposed the most severe water restrictions in the state. All outside watering has been prohibited since June.
"There's no grass," Mr. Branch said of what used to be his yard. "Not even any weeds."
Mr. Branch said the pond he uses to water livestock dried up last summer, and his creek ran dry a few weeks later for the first time in 30 years.
He has resorted to pumping well water into a trough to keep his cattle alive.
Mr. Branch is luckier than some – he pays for the electricity to draw water from his well, but the water itself is free. Others, whose surface water has run dry and who don't have a well, have had to go shopping.
Ms. Peterson's company, which has not had to impose restrictions yet, has installed about a dozen meters for ranchers needing to buy water lines for their livestock. "All the ponds are dry," she said. "The ranchers are using our water to feed their cows."
Water company business was good for the last three months of 2005, she said: "The little man on TV said if you've got St. Augustine grass you've got to water it – no matter how much your bill is."
But by January, use dropped: "They just gave up."
Ranchers haven't given up yet, but they're shrinking their herds, said county extension agent Tommy Neyland, a rancher himself.
"Most of them are cutting 25-50 percent," he estimated.
They have to, because winter grass didn't come up, and it's costly to feed cattle over the long haul. The cost of hay has almost doubled in the last year, and even though Leon County is a big hay producer, local suppliers have run out.
Ms. Peterson said she sees 18-wheelers from as far away as Kansas rumble through town regularly with loads of hay.
Rain: the only topic
Jerry Leathers, who owns Centerville Feed and Supply, said his cows are so hungry that they gather at the gate when they hear his truck rattling down the county road. He said any prospect of rain is big news.
"We're about through talking about the rain we got last week," he explained one recent morning as workers at his business loaded feed into pickup trucks. "Now we're talking about the rain we may get. And if we don't get the rain, that's going to be the topic Monday."
The recent rains made locals ecstatic, if only briefly. "Oh, they would dance naked in the streets," Ms. Peterson said with a chuckle. "That's how thrilled we were."
But no one who knows agriculture thinks a few days of rain has ended the drought.
Mr. Ryder said he is encouraged by recent rains but is keeping an eye on the long-term forecast.
"It's showing anywhere from 3-6 months more of this," he said.
Alan Moller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said the forecast indicates at least three more months of dry, warm weather. After that, he said, "there's hope on the horizon" for a return to normal conditions this summer.
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Four finalists remain in fire chief search
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Four Dallas Fire-Rescue chief candidates remain after City Manager Mary Suhm on Thursday pruned the previous list of six finalists.
Three of the four finalists are local: Acting Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Louie Bright III and Fort Worth Fire Department deputy chiefs Eddie Burns and Hugo Esparza. The fourth, Brian Crawford, is an assistant chief for the Shreveport (La.) Fire Department.
Sacramento, Calif., Metropolitan Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Haverty and Stephen Reid, president of the Stephen M. Reid and Associates consulting group in Myersville, Md., did not make the cut following interviews last week in Dallas.
Ms. Suhm plans to interview the final four.
"Ms. Suhm will also visit with government and community leaders familiar with the work of these gentlemen prior to reaching her decision," Assistant City Manager Charles Daniels wrote Thursday in a memo to the Dallas City Council.
Ms. Suhm also says she hopes to select a chief this month. The new chief would replace Steve Abraira, who resigned in September under pressure from Ms. Suhm.
The City Council approved a $21,000 contract with consultant Waters-Oldani to conduct a nationwide chief search, which attracted 37 candidates.
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Four Dallas Fire-Rescue chief candidates remain after City Manager Mary Suhm on Thursday pruned the previous list of six finalists.
Three of the four finalists are local: Acting Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Louie Bright III and Fort Worth Fire Department deputy chiefs Eddie Burns and Hugo Esparza. The fourth, Brian Crawford, is an assistant chief for the Shreveport (La.) Fire Department.
Sacramento, Calif., Metropolitan Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Haverty and Stephen Reid, president of the Stephen M. Reid and Associates consulting group in Myersville, Md., did not make the cut following interviews last week in Dallas.
Ms. Suhm plans to interview the final four.
"Ms. Suhm will also visit with government and community leaders familiar with the work of these gentlemen prior to reaching her decision," Assistant City Manager Charles Daniels wrote Thursday in a memo to the Dallas City Council.
Ms. Suhm also says she hopes to select a chief this month. The new chief would replace Steve Abraira, who resigned in September under pressure from Ms. Suhm.
The City Council approved a $21,000 contract with consultant Waters-Oldani to conduct a nationwide chief search, which attracted 37 candidates.
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Grass fire breaks out in Duncanville
DUNCANVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters are tackling a large grass fire in Duncanville at Camp Wisdom and 1382.
Dallas and Duncanville Fire Departments are on the scene - they have asked for help from other fire departments.
Video from Channel 8 shows large flames and swirls of smoke.
No structures appear to be threatened at present but there are houses nearby.
DUNCANVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters are tackling a large grass fire in Duncanville at Camp Wisdom and 1382.
Dallas and Duncanville Fire Departments are on the scene - they have asked for help from other fire departments.
Video from Channel 8 shows large flames and swirls of smoke.
No structures appear to be threatened at present but there are houses nearby.
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Texas town running out of water
BRYSON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Water is so precious in this little town that elementary school students have to wash their hands with pre-moistened wipes instead of turning on the restroom faucets.
Folks haven't turned on their lawn sprinklers for three years. And some people have abandoned their swimming pools, draining them, filling them in with dirt or letting the water go stagnant.
The problem: The sole source of water for Bryson's 550 residents is one small well that is pumping a drought-constricted 38 gallons a minute.
But help is on the way. The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week approved the city's $500,000 grant application to build a six-mile pipeline to another community's water supply, and the project should be completed by June.
Now the race is on to finish it before the water runs out.
"I believe we can hang on if it's the good Lord's will," Bryson Public Works Director John Walden said Tuesday.
For 25 years this oil-and-ranching town got its water from manmade Lake Bryson, which was supposed to be able to supply a population of 2,000. But the lake has been shrinking from years of drought, slowly dropping from 28 feet to 8 feet deep, and last year some of the aging dam equipment broke, preventing water from flowing out.
While the equipment was being repaired, the town relied on two wells. But one went dry in December, and the other is pumping far short of the necessary 100 gallons a minute. The town is still hoping to fix the dam, but the lake has only 60 days of water left anyway.
Bryan Daniel, state director for USDA Rural Development, said Bryson's application was approved in a quick two months because of the town's critical need for the pipeline. "There was no time to consider other options," Daniel said.
Walden said he does not know how long Bryson, about 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth, can hold out with just the well. "It could be five minutes from now or six months to a year from now," he said. "If we lose the well, we lose our water."
Dana "JoJo" Thornburg, a teacher's aide, said she has grown accustomed to washing laundry less often and driving to a town nearby to wash her car. She has not had flowers in her yard for years.
Last summer her husband hauled water from his company and filled their above-ground swimming pool. This year, though, they plan to dismantle it, over the protests of their teenage daughter.
"She's upset, but she'll get over it," Thornburg said with a laugh. "We're all kind of worried about the water situation, but everyone's done real good with conserving. It makes you realize how precious water is."
Bryson is about 45 miles east of Throckmorton, which was within 60 days of running out of water in the summer of 2000. Volunteers streamed in to help build a 21-mile pipeline to hook Throckmorton into the city of Graham's water supply. Bryson will also tap into Graham's water.
BRYSON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Water is so precious in this little town that elementary school students have to wash their hands with pre-moistened wipes instead of turning on the restroom faucets.
Folks haven't turned on their lawn sprinklers for three years. And some people have abandoned their swimming pools, draining them, filling them in with dirt or letting the water go stagnant.
The problem: The sole source of water for Bryson's 550 residents is one small well that is pumping a drought-constricted 38 gallons a minute.
But help is on the way. The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week approved the city's $500,000 grant application to build a six-mile pipeline to another community's water supply, and the project should be completed by June.
Now the race is on to finish it before the water runs out.
"I believe we can hang on if it's the good Lord's will," Bryson Public Works Director John Walden said Tuesday.
For 25 years this oil-and-ranching town got its water from manmade Lake Bryson, which was supposed to be able to supply a population of 2,000. But the lake has been shrinking from years of drought, slowly dropping from 28 feet to 8 feet deep, and last year some of the aging dam equipment broke, preventing water from flowing out.
While the equipment was being repaired, the town relied on two wells. But one went dry in December, and the other is pumping far short of the necessary 100 gallons a minute. The town is still hoping to fix the dam, but the lake has only 60 days of water left anyway.
Bryan Daniel, state director for USDA Rural Development, said Bryson's application was approved in a quick two months because of the town's critical need for the pipeline. "There was no time to consider other options," Daniel said.
Walden said he does not know how long Bryson, about 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth, can hold out with just the well. "It could be five minutes from now or six months to a year from now," he said. "If we lose the well, we lose our water."
Dana "JoJo" Thornburg, a teacher's aide, said she has grown accustomed to washing laundry less often and driving to a town nearby to wash her car. She has not had flowers in her yard for years.
Last summer her husband hauled water from his company and filled their above-ground swimming pool. This year, though, they plan to dismantle it, over the protests of their teenage daughter.
"She's upset, but she'll get over it," Thornburg said with a laugh. "We're all kind of worried about the water situation, but everyone's done real good with conserving. It makes you realize how precious water is."
Bryson is about 45 miles east of Throckmorton, which was within 60 days of running out of water in the summer of 2000. Volunteers streamed in to help build a 21-mile pipeline to hook Throckmorton into the city of Graham's water supply. Bryson will also tap into Graham's water.
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Winds bring fire danger on Sunday
WFAA.com Staff
After North Texans shivered through the coldest night of the year, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for potentially dangerous high winds on Sunday.
Northwest winds from 15 to 25 mph coupled with low humidity and dry ground conditions will combine to create an explosive wildfire danger in the region until 6 p.m. Sunday for all of North Texas, the weather service said.
Temperatures were forecast to rebound from an overnight low of 23 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to a high approaching 60 degrees on Sunday afternoon, which is normal for this time of year.
The mercury dipped to 20 in Denton just before 7 a.m.
After another night of sub-freezing temperatures on Sunday, springlike weather returns to North Texas with highs around 70 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
North Texas has received an average amount of rainfall in the first 43 days of 2006, but the entire region continues to face drought conditions following an unusually dry 2005.
WFAA.com Staff
After North Texans shivered through the coldest night of the year, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for potentially dangerous high winds on Sunday.
Northwest winds from 15 to 25 mph coupled with low humidity and dry ground conditions will combine to create an explosive wildfire danger in the region until 6 p.m. Sunday for all of North Texas, the weather service said.
Temperatures were forecast to rebound from an overnight low of 23 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to a high approaching 60 degrees on Sunday afternoon, which is normal for this time of year.
The mercury dipped to 20 in Denton just before 7 a.m.
After another night of sub-freezing temperatures on Sunday, springlike weather returns to North Texas with highs around 70 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
North Texas has received an average amount of rainfall in the first 43 days of 2006, but the entire region continues to face drought conditions following an unusually dry 2005.
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Grass fires break out in Parker and Tarrant Counties
WFAA ABC 8 Staff
Two brush fires have broken out - one in north of Springtown in rural Parker County and another in Rendon in Tarrant County.
Both fires are threatening motorhomes and other structures.
The fire in Springtown is centered along Old Cottondale Rd, where a mobile home caught alight.
There appears to be farm buildings in the area.
A man on a tractor could be seen earlier attempting to suppress the fire. Firefighters in helicopters are tackling the flames. They are taking water from ponds and dumping it on the blaze.
In Rendon, at least one mobile home and outbuilding are on fire.
WFAA ABC 8 Staff
Two brush fires have broken out - one in north of Springtown in rural Parker County and another in Rendon in Tarrant County.
Both fires are threatening motorhomes and other structures.
The fire in Springtown is centered along Old Cottondale Rd, where a mobile home caught alight.
There appears to be farm buildings in the area.
A man on a tractor could be seen earlier attempting to suppress the fire. Firefighters in helicopters are tackling the flames. They are taking water from ponds and dumping it on the blaze.
In Rendon, at least one mobile home and outbuilding are on fire.
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Okla. fire creates smoky North Texas skies
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano's 911 center said they were bombarded with calls after a smoky fog took over the North Texas skies Thursday.
While many North Texans expressed concern over the gray fog, Collin County's fire marshal, Steve Deffibaugh, said the smoke wasn't coming from Texas at all.
The smoke was said to be billowing in from a large grassfire in Carter County in southern Oklahoma.
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano's 911 center said they were bombarded with calls after a smoky fog took over the North Texas skies Thursday.
While many North Texans expressed concern over the gray fog, Collin County's fire marshal, Steve Deffibaugh, said the smoke wasn't coming from Texas at all.
The smoke was said to be billowing in from a large grassfire in Carter County in southern Oklahoma.
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TexasStooge
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Here's some more info on this fire in my hometown.
_____________________________________________________________
Grass fire threatened houses in Irving
IRVING, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters quickly put out a grass fire today which threatened houses near 400 South Beltline.
The three-alarm blaze started Wednesday morning, after a shed caught alight, setting fire to grass and trees.
Irving firefighters were forced to call for mutual aid.
_____________________________________________________________
Grass fire threatened houses in Irving
IRVING, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Firefighters quickly put out a grass fire today which threatened houses near 400 South Beltline.
The three-alarm blaze started Wednesday morning, after a shed caught alight, setting fire to grass and trees.
Irving firefighters were forced to call for mutual aid.
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While the Midwest is surviving the severe weather, the Texas Panhandle is fighting a severe wildfire.
_____________________________________________________________
Texas wildfires blamed for six deaths
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Six people died and at least six were injured Sunday as wildfires fanned by winds gusting to 55 mph spread across the Texas Panhandle, authorities said.
Four people died in a multi-vehicle crash on a stretch of Interstate 40 as smoke from the raging wildfires reduced visibility, the Texas Forest Service said. Six people were injured.
Meanwhile, two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home near Borger, said Borger fire Capt. Mike Galloway.
“The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them,” he said. “The flames just spread so fast.”
Wildfires spread across at least 300,000 acres in the Panhandle and the South Plains, forcing the evacuation of eight towns, said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
“Those figures are probably very conservative to what they're going to be,” Bielenberg said. “Don't be surprised if it's more.”
“This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history,” Bielenberg said.
The chain-reaction accident involved nine vehicles near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo.
“Somebody stopped because of the smoke and, of course, another vehicle hit them and another vehicle hit them,” said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress.
Bielenberg said officials are still uncertain exactly what started the wildfires, which rivaled in size to fires that blackened thousands of acres of grassland and killed three people in late December and early January.
Forecasters said strong winds and low humidity values made ideal conditions for the fires to spread. The parched region around Amarillo has seen just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal averages.
“With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires,” said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
He said cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters but winds around 15 mph will still make battling the blazes difficult. No rain is expected in the region for at least the next seven days.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287 but 287 was then closed because of fires as well. Traffic was then sent onto smaller, two-lane roads.
“People were outside of their cars visiting during the traffic jams,” Hawthorne said. “A lot of people realized we were doing the best we could with the roads we had to deal with.”
The fire near Groom jumped the interstate and had spread to more than 100,000 acres by late Sunday.
Bielenberg said the fire near Borger, about 50 miles northeast of Amarillo, had consumed more than 200,000 acres.
A third fire in Cottle County, south of Childress, had consumed about 10,000 acres.
Galloway said eight to 10 structures had been destroyed in the fire near Borger. Firefighters were still on the lines late Sunday.
“The visibility was poor because the dust and ash was just blowing. It was hard to breathe and see,” Galloway said. “It was definitely a very dangerous fire to fight.”
Bielenberg said strong winds gusting upward of 55 mph kept water-dropping planes and helicopters grounded when the blazes began Sunday morning, preventing firefighters from keeping the burning acreage in check.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the cities of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, Bielenberg said.
In the town of Shamrock, evacuees were arriving Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Shamrock Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the Shamrock Community Center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes worked late into the night to help evacuate nursing home residents from McLean and Wheeler to the community center and then on to nursing homes in safe locations.
He said a few hundred elderly and sick people were transported in school buses. He and other workers carried many elderly onto the buses and then placed them in beds at the center, he added.
Evacuees were in good spirits despite the stressful situation, Rhodes said.
“It is hectic but it's going all right,” he said.
About 10 people were spending the night at the center with nurses attending them, he said.
Bielenberg said authorities would fly over the burning areas early Monday to get a more accurate measurement of the acreage.
In January, Gov. Rick Perry declared a drought disaster for the entire state after an earlier round of wildfires charred more than 455,000 acres and destroyed more than 340 homes.
_____________________________________________________________
Texas wildfires blamed for six deaths
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Six people died and at least six were injured Sunday as wildfires fanned by winds gusting to 55 mph spread across the Texas Panhandle, authorities said.
Four people died in a multi-vehicle crash on a stretch of Interstate 40 as smoke from the raging wildfires reduced visibility, the Texas Forest Service said. Six people were injured.
Meanwhile, two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home near Borger, said Borger fire Capt. Mike Galloway.
“The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them,” he said. “The flames just spread so fast.”
Wildfires spread across at least 300,000 acres in the Panhandle and the South Plains, forcing the evacuation of eight towns, said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
“Those figures are probably very conservative to what they're going to be,” Bielenberg said. “Don't be surprised if it's more.”
“This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history,” Bielenberg said.
The chain-reaction accident involved nine vehicles near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo.
“Somebody stopped because of the smoke and, of course, another vehicle hit them and another vehicle hit them,” said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress.
Bielenberg said officials are still uncertain exactly what started the wildfires, which rivaled in size to fires that blackened thousands of acres of grassland and killed three people in late December and early January.
Forecasters said strong winds and low humidity values made ideal conditions for the fires to spread. The parched region around Amarillo has seen just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal averages.
“With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires,” said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
He said cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters but winds around 15 mph will still make battling the blazes difficult. No rain is expected in the region for at least the next seven days.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287 but 287 was then closed because of fires as well. Traffic was then sent onto smaller, two-lane roads.
“People were outside of their cars visiting during the traffic jams,” Hawthorne said. “A lot of people realized we were doing the best we could with the roads we had to deal with.”
The fire near Groom jumped the interstate and had spread to more than 100,000 acres by late Sunday.
Bielenberg said the fire near Borger, about 50 miles northeast of Amarillo, had consumed more than 200,000 acres.
A third fire in Cottle County, south of Childress, had consumed about 10,000 acres.
Galloway said eight to 10 structures had been destroyed in the fire near Borger. Firefighters were still on the lines late Sunday.
“The visibility was poor because the dust and ash was just blowing. It was hard to breathe and see,” Galloway said. “It was definitely a very dangerous fire to fight.”
Bielenberg said strong winds gusting upward of 55 mph kept water-dropping planes and helicopters grounded when the blazes began Sunday morning, preventing firefighters from keeping the burning acreage in check.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the cities of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, Bielenberg said.
In the town of Shamrock, evacuees were arriving Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Shamrock Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the Shamrock Community Center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes worked late into the night to help evacuate nursing home residents from McLean and Wheeler to the community center and then on to nursing homes in safe locations.
He said a few hundred elderly and sick people were transported in school buses. He and other workers carried many elderly onto the buses and then placed them in beds at the center, he added.
Evacuees were in good spirits despite the stressful situation, Rhodes said.
“It is hectic but it's going all right,” he said.
About 10 people were spending the night at the center with nurses attending them, he said.
Bielenberg said authorities would fly over the burning areas early Monday to get a more accurate measurement of the acreage.
In January, Gov. Rick Perry declared a drought disaster for the entire state after an earlier round of wildfires charred more than 455,000 acres and destroyed more than 340 homes.
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TexasStooge
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7 dead in wildfires, accidents (Updated)
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - Massive wildfires raced across the dry southern plains early Monday, burning more than half a million acres in Texas, leaving at least seven people dead and injuring at least seven more.
Four people died in a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. Three others died in fires near Borger, northeast of Amarillo.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
The fires scorched more than 663,000 acres -- more than 1,000 square miles or about two-thirds the size of Rhode Island -- far eclipsing the deadly wildfires that prompted Gov. Rick Perry to declare a statewide drought disaster in January. The earlier blaze charred more than 455,000 acres, destroyed more than 340 homes and killed three people.
Early Monday, the fires burned near the border of Gray and Donley counties in the Panhandle. Fields visible from Interstate 40 were ablaze and fallen trees smoldered in roadside ravines. Fire snaked its way across fields and sent smoke hundreds of feet into the air. Some power poles appeared close to toppling as flames burned their bases.
Bill Tidwell worked overnight in his hometown of Alanreed to fight spotfires with his shovel.
"It's burning houses down all over the country," said Tidwell, 68. "I've never seen nothing like it."
Officials weren't certain what sparked the wildfires, but wind gusting up to 55 mph and low humidity made conditions ideal for the fires to quickly spread. The parched region around Amarillo has had just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal, and no rain is expected for at least another week.
"With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires," said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
Cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters, but the winds are still forecast around 15 mph, Brost said.
Wildfires forced the evacuation of eight small towns over the weekend, although some residents were allowed to return to Skellytown and Lefors late Sunday.
Near Borger, two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home, fire Capt. Mike Galloway said.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
Eight to 10 structures were destroyed near Borger, about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo, Galloway said. Firefighters worked through the night to try to contain the blazes.
Another person died in Hutchinson County, said Sheriff's Deputy Aaron McWilliams. No details were immediately available.
Volunteer firefighter Danny Whittington said 15 to 20 structures were lost in a fire between Pampa and McLean.
"I can't imagine what it's going to look like at daylight," Whittington told the Amarillo Globe-News. "I've seen something I've never seen before and that's cattle and horses burned. You'd think they would run, but they just stood there."
Whittington's father, Frank, suffered burns to the chest while fighting the blaze.
The crash near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress. A vehicle stopped because of the smoke and was struck from behind, sparking the chain reaction, he said.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287, until that road was closed because of the fires.
Mandatory evacuations were issued Sunday for the towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie.
In Shamrock, evacuees arrived Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the community center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes said a few hundred people, including some elderly and sick patients from nursing homes, were transported in school buses. Some of the nursing home residents were later moved to other facilities.
Fires also menaced southeastern New Mexico, where a 70,000-acre grass fire prompted evacuation orders for up to 200 people Sunday and injured one man, who was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said.
Several smaller wildfires also burned in Oklahoma, where some people were evacuated from the central Oklahoma town of Carney.
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - Massive wildfires raced across the dry southern plains early Monday, burning more than half a million acres in Texas, leaving at least seven people dead and injuring at least seven more.
Four people died in a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. Three others died in fires near Borger, northeast of Amarillo.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
The fires scorched more than 663,000 acres -- more than 1,000 square miles or about two-thirds the size of Rhode Island -- far eclipsing the deadly wildfires that prompted Gov. Rick Perry to declare a statewide drought disaster in January. The earlier blaze charred more than 455,000 acres, destroyed more than 340 homes and killed three people.
Early Monday, the fires burned near the border of Gray and Donley counties in the Panhandle. Fields visible from Interstate 40 were ablaze and fallen trees smoldered in roadside ravines. Fire snaked its way across fields and sent smoke hundreds of feet into the air. Some power poles appeared close to toppling as flames burned their bases.
Bill Tidwell worked overnight in his hometown of Alanreed to fight spotfires with his shovel.
"It's burning houses down all over the country," said Tidwell, 68. "I've never seen nothing like it."
Officials weren't certain what sparked the wildfires, but wind gusting up to 55 mph and low humidity made conditions ideal for the fires to quickly spread. The parched region around Amarillo has had just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal, and no rain is expected for at least another week.
"With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires," said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
Cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters, but the winds are still forecast around 15 mph, Brost said.
Wildfires forced the evacuation of eight small towns over the weekend, although some residents were allowed to return to Skellytown and Lefors late Sunday.
Near Borger, two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home, fire Capt. Mike Galloway said.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
Eight to 10 structures were destroyed near Borger, about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo, Galloway said. Firefighters worked through the night to try to contain the blazes.
Another person died in Hutchinson County, said Sheriff's Deputy Aaron McWilliams. No details were immediately available.
Volunteer firefighter Danny Whittington said 15 to 20 structures were lost in a fire between Pampa and McLean.
"I can't imagine what it's going to look like at daylight," Whittington told the Amarillo Globe-News. "I've seen something I've never seen before and that's cattle and horses burned. You'd think they would run, but they just stood there."
Whittington's father, Frank, suffered burns to the chest while fighting the blaze.
The crash near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress. A vehicle stopped because of the smoke and was struck from behind, sparking the chain reaction, he said.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287, until that road was closed because of the fires.
Mandatory evacuations were issued Sunday for the towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie.
In Shamrock, evacuees arrived Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the community center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes said a few hundred people, including some elderly and sick patients from nursing homes, were transported in school buses. Some of the nursing home residents were later moved to other facilities.
Fires also menaced southeastern New Mexico, where a 70,000-acre grass fire prompted evacuation orders for up to 200 people Sunday and injured one man, who was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said.
Several smaller wildfires also burned in Oklahoma, where some people were evacuated from the central Oklahoma town of Carney.
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TexasStooge
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Wildfires scorch West Texas; 7 dead (Updated)
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Firefighters worked through the night to try to contain wildfires that raced across the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, scorching more than 660,000 acres, killing at least seven people and injuring at least seven more.
Four of the dead were killed in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. Three people died in fires near Borger.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
The total acreage involved in fires near Groom and Borger alone eclipsed the 455,000 acres that burned over a span of a couple weeks in late December and early January.
Shane Brown, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service in Canyon, said the blaze near Borger covered 432,000 acres. The fire near Groom had consumed 211,000 acres and a fire south of Childress in the South Plains had burned 20,000.
Wildfires continued to burn early Monday near the border of Gray and Donley counties in the Panhandle. Fields visible from Interstate 40 were ablaze and fallen trees smoldered in roadside ravines.
Fire snaked its way across fields and sent smoke hundreds of feet into the air. Some power poles appeared close to toppling as flames burned their bases.
Bill Tidwell, 68, worked overnight in his hometown of Alanreed to fight spotfires with his shovel.
"It's burning houses down all over the country," he said. "I've never seen nothing like it."
The fires forced the evacuation of residents in eight small towns, although some residents were allowed to return to their homes in Skellytown and Lefors late Sunday.
The accident near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress. Six people were injured in the crash.
"Somebody stopped because of the smoke and, of course, another vehicle hit them and another vehicle hit them," Hawthorne said. Identities of the dead weren't immediately available.
Near Borger, fire Capt. Mike Galloway said two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
Galloway said eight to 10 structures had been destroyed in the fire near Borger, about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo. Firefighters were still on the lines late Sunday. Brown said crews would work through the night to try to contain the blazes.
"The visibility was poor because the dust and ash was just blowing. It was hard to breathe and see," Galloway said. "It was definitely a very dangerous fire to fight."
Hutchinson County Sheriff's Deputy Aaron McWilliams said a third person died at a different location.
Danny Whittington, a volunteer firefighter in McLean, said 15 to 20 structures were lost in a fire between Pampa and McLean.
"I can't imagine what it's going to look like at daylight," Whittington said in a story in Monday's Amarillo Globe-News.
"I've seen something I've never seen before and that's cattle and horses burned. You'd think they would run, but they just stood there," he said.
Whittington's father, Frank, suffered burns to the chest while fighting the blaze.
Bielenberg said officials are still uncertain what started the wildfires. But strong winds and low humidity made conditions ideal for the fires to spread, forecasters said. Wind gusts of 55 mph were reported.
The parched region around Amarillo has seen just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal averages.
"With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires," said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
He said cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters but winds around 15 mph will still make battling the blazes difficult. No rain is expected in the region for at least the next seven days.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287 but 287 was then closed because of fires as well. Traffic was then sent onto smaller, two-lane roads for a few hours.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, Bielenberg said.
In the town of Shamrock, the smell of smoke filled the air Monday morning, and the town's hotel rooms filled up quickly.
Evacuees were arriving Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Shamrock Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the Shamrock Community Center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes said a few hundred people, including some elderly and sick patients from nursing homes, were transported in school buses. Some of the nursing home residents were later moved to other facilities.
Bielenberg said authorities would fly over the burning areas early Monday to get a more accurate measurement of the acreage.
In January, Gov. Rick Perry declared a drought disaster for the entire state after an earlier round of wildfires charred more than 455,000 acres and destroyed more than 340 homes.
GROOM, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Firefighters worked through the night to try to contain wildfires that raced across the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, scorching more than 660,000 acres, killing at least seven people and injuring at least seven more.
Four of the dead were killed in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. Three people died in fires near Borger.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service.
The total acreage involved in fires near Groom and Borger alone eclipsed the 455,000 acres that burned over a span of a couple weeks in late December and early January.
Shane Brown, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service in Canyon, said the blaze near Borger covered 432,000 acres. The fire near Groom had consumed 211,000 acres and a fire south of Childress in the South Plains had burned 20,000.
Wildfires continued to burn early Monday near the border of Gray and Donley counties in the Panhandle. Fields visible from Interstate 40 were ablaze and fallen trees smoldered in roadside ravines.
Fire snaked its way across fields and sent smoke hundreds of feet into the air. Some power poles appeared close to toppling as flames burned their bases.
Bill Tidwell, 68, worked overnight in his hometown of Alanreed to fight spotfires with his shovel.
"It's burning houses down all over the country," he said. "I've never seen nothing like it."
The fires forced the evacuation of residents in eight small towns, although some residents were allowed to return to their homes in Skellytown and Lefors late Sunday.
The accident near Groom, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress. Six people were injured in the crash.
"Somebody stopped because of the smoke and, of course, another vehicle hit them and another vehicle hit them," Hawthorne said. Identities of the dead weren't immediately available.
Near Borger, fire Capt. Mike Galloway said two people died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
Galloway said eight to 10 structures had been destroyed in the fire near Borger, about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo. Firefighters were still on the lines late Sunday. Brown said crews would work through the night to try to contain the blazes.
"The visibility was poor because the dust and ash was just blowing. It was hard to breathe and see," Galloway said. "It was definitely a very dangerous fire to fight."
Hutchinson County Sheriff's Deputy Aaron McWilliams said a third person died at a different location.
Danny Whittington, a volunteer firefighter in McLean, said 15 to 20 structures were lost in a fire between Pampa and McLean.
"I can't imagine what it's going to look like at daylight," Whittington said in a story in Monday's Amarillo Globe-News.
"I've seen something I've never seen before and that's cattle and horses burned. You'd think they would run, but they just stood there," he said.
Whittington's father, Frank, suffered burns to the chest while fighting the blaze.
Bielenberg said officials are still uncertain what started the wildfires. But strong winds and low humidity made conditions ideal for the fires to spread, forecasters said. Wind gusts of 55 mph were reported.
The parched region around Amarillo has seen just three-tenths of an inch of rain since February, nearly an inch below normal averages.
"With these windy conditions and dry grasses, there was nothing to stop the fires," said J.J. Brost, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
He said cooler temperatures Monday should help firefighters but winds around 15 mph will still make battling the blazes difficult. No rain is expected in the region for at least the next seven days.
Low visibility from the dense smoke forced officials to close an 89-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Shamrock for six hours, Hawthorne said. Traffic was initially diverted down State Highway 70 to U.S. 287 but 287 was then closed because of fires as well. Traffic was then sent onto smaller, two-lane roads for a few hours.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, Bielenberg said.
In the town of Shamrock, the smell of smoke filled the air Monday morning, and the town's hotel rooms filled up quickly.
Evacuees were arriving Sunday from Wheeler County nursing homes, Shamrock Police Chief Joe Daniels said. The Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the Shamrock Community Center, he said.
Shamrock City Manager John Rhodes said a few hundred people, including some elderly and sick patients from nursing homes, were transported in school buses. Some of the nursing home residents were later moved to other facilities.
Bielenberg said authorities would fly over the burning areas early Monday to get a more accurate measurement of the acreage.
In January, Gov. Rick Perry declared a drought disaster for the entire state after an earlier round of wildfires charred more than 455,000 acres and destroyed more than 340 homes.
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TexasStooge
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Two percent of Texas charred since December
BORGER, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Using bulldozers and tanker planes, firefighters struggled Monday to contain wind-blown wildfires raging across more than 1,000 square miles of the drought-stricken Texas Panhandle and South Plains.
The blazes are blamed for seven deaths, four of them in a crash on a smoke-shrouded highway.
Eleven fires were still burning Monday morning over roughly 530,000 acres, state officials said. In the past 24 hours, the state has responded to 162 fires and evacuated about 1,900 people in Carson, Childress, Gray, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore and Wheeler counties, said Rachael Novier, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry.
"This has been a very deadly wildfire season, but Texas communities have shown strength, and we're going to continue fighting these fires from the ground and from the air," Novier said. "The men and women fighting these fires ... have shown extraordinary bravery, and we certainly owe them a debt of gratitude."
The total acreage of fires—estimated at 663,000 by the state—easily eclipsed the 455,000 acres that burned over a span of a couple weeks in December and January, when Perry declared a state drought disaster.
About 3.5 million acres—2 percent of the state's land mass—have burned since Dec. 26, Novier said.
The blaze near Borger covered 432,000 acres, said Shane Brown, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service in Canyon. The fire near Groom consumed 211,000 acres, and a fire south of Childress in the South Plains burned 20,000.
One of the most intense fires was still burning Monday about 10 miles north of Pampa in Gray County. Winds were blowing it toward the town, said Donny Hooper, a spokesman for Gray County Emergency Operations.
"That's the biggest concern right now," Hooper said.
Four of the dead were killed Sunday in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. The accident, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, injured six people and involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress.
Three people died in fires near Borger. Two of them died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home, said fire Capt. Mike Galloway.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
The fires forced the evacuation of residents in the small towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service. Some residents were allowed to return to their homes in Skellytown, Lefors and McLean.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," Bielenberg said Sunday.
Three volunteer firefighters from Howardwick were injured when their vehicle rolled as it rode up an embankment Sunday. One of the firefighters was in serious condition, Hawthorne said.
Three of the McLean department's five vehicles had been disabled, including one that had to be abandoned because it was threatened by fire, Chief Clifford McDonald said. Another was stuck in an area dampened to battle the blazes, and a third broke down, he said.
Officials are still uncertain what started the wildfires in the parched region around Amarillo, which has seen just two-tenths of an inch of rain since early March, more than an inch below average.
The upper-level storm system that caused deadly tornadoes and storms in the Midwest moved into Texas, but with no moisture it produced high winds of 55 mph. That coupled with low humidity on Sunday made conditions ideal for the fires to spread, forecasters said.
"Due to the strong winds, the fires were spreading rapidly, and that's what made it so significant," John Cockrell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo, said Monday.
Winds of 15 mph to 20 mph and humidity of 15 percent to 20 percent were reported Monday, improving firefighting conditions, Cockrell said. No rain is expected in the region before Saturday, Cockrell said.
Xcel Energy reported power outages in about 2,200 homes and businesses throughout the Panhandle. Repairs and power restoration could take three to four weeks, said company spokesman Bill Crenshaw.
BORGER, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — Using bulldozers and tanker planes, firefighters struggled Monday to contain wind-blown wildfires raging across more than 1,000 square miles of the drought-stricken Texas Panhandle and South Plains.
The blazes are blamed for seven deaths, four of them in a crash on a smoke-shrouded highway.
Eleven fires were still burning Monday morning over roughly 530,000 acres, state officials said. In the past 24 hours, the state has responded to 162 fires and evacuated about 1,900 people in Carson, Childress, Gray, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore and Wheeler counties, said Rachael Novier, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry.
"This has been a very deadly wildfire season, but Texas communities have shown strength, and we're going to continue fighting these fires from the ground and from the air," Novier said. "The men and women fighting these fires ... have shown extraordinary bravery, and we certainly owe them a debt of gratitude."
The total acreage of fires—estimated at 663,000 by the state—easily eclipsed the 455,000 acres that burned over a span of a couple weeks in December and January, when Perry declared a state drought disaster.
About 3.5 million acres—2 percent of the state's land mass—have burned since Dec. 26, Novier said.
The blaze near Borger covered 432,000 acres, said Shane Brown, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service in Canyon. The fire near Groom consumed 211,000 acres, and a fire south of Childress in the South Plains burned 20,000.
One of the most intense fires was still burning Monday about 10 miles north of Pampa in Gray County. Winds were blowing it toward the town, said Donny Hooper, a spokesman for Gray County Emergency Operations.
"That's the biggest concern right now," Hooper said.
Four of the dead were killed Sunday in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 40 east of Groom as smoke obscured the road. The accident, about 40 miles east of Amarillo, injured six people and involved nine vehicles, said Daniel Hawthorne, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety in Childress.
Three people died in fires near Borger. Two of them died trying to escape a grass fire that consumed their home, said fire Capt. Mike Galloway.
"The brush fire overtook their house and yard and got them," he said. "The flames just spread so fast."
The fires forced the evacuation of residents in the small towns of Lefors, Skellytown, Miami, Wheeler, Hoover, McLean and Old and New Mobeetie, said Warren Bielenberg, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service. Some residents were allowed to return to their homes in Skellytown, Lefors and McLean.
"This is probably one of the biggest fire days in Texas history," Bielenberg said Sunday.
Three volunteer firefighters from Howardwick were injured when their vehicle rolled as it rode up an embankment Sunday. One of the firefighters was in serious condition, Hawthorne said.
Three of the McLean department's five vehicles had been disabled, including one that had to be abandoned because it was threatened by fire, Chief Clifford McDonald said. Another was stuck in an area dampened to battle the blazes, and a third broke down, he said.
Officials are still uncertain what started the wildfires in the parched region around Amarillo, which has seen just two-tenths of an inch of rain since early March, more than an inch below average.
The upper-level storm system that caused deadly tornadoes and storms in the Midwest moved into Texas, but with no moisture it produced high winds of 55 mph. That coupled with low humidity on Sunday made conditions ideal for the fires to spread, forecasters said.
"Due to the strong winds, the fires were spreading rapidly, and that's what made it so significant," John Cockrell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo, said Monday.
Winds of 15 mph to 20 mph and humidity of 15 percent to 20 percent were reported Monday, improving firefighting conditions, Cockrell said. No rain is expected in the region before Saturday, Cockrell said.
Xcel Energy reported power outages in about 2,200 homes and businesses throughout the Panhandle. Repairs and power restoration could take three to four weeks, said company spokesman Bill Crenshaw.
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