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Author Topic: What the fire?  (Read 6676 times)  Share 

Offline Casa Grande

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What the fire?
« on: April 09, 2011, 08:47:59 PM »
Seems there some serious fires going on out in the Tri County area. Ft Davis evacuated. Marfa, Alpine, Balmorea under wildfire warnings. Four homes in Ft Davis already destroyed. Apparently some started by train brakes and thrown cigarettes out of passing car on Hwy 90 just East of Alpine.....
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Offline Sotol Vista

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2011, 09:33:37 PM »
not good at all  :icon_frown:

James
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Offline homerboy2u

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2011, 10:27:04 PM »
Around this side of the river, there has been a 3 week fire going on in the Del Burro's and  Sierra de Santa Rosa. 60,000 hectares burned so far  and there are at least 800 fire fighters, army personnel and federal police cadets trying to put it down. The cause of it was a lightning strike in the Sierra del Burro and it hit it off big time.

  Let me know if you all want to see some pictures of it. They have not seen th lights of this one since 1983.

 I would not be surprised to see something similar  happening out yonder in Southwest Texiis.
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Offline Al

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2011, 11:08:50 PM »
Tomorrow is predicted to be the worse potential wildfire day in Texas in many years.  Homero, let's hope for the best.  The 61,000 acre fire in North Texas is considered to be 0% under control the last report I saw.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/09/texas.wildfires/

Al
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Offline rmorgan

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2011, 11:20:50 PM »
Does anyone know if DMR is in serious danger? Or how close the fire is to it/ structures lost?
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Offline dkerr24

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2011, 07:21:28 AM »
Reports of a burned area of 125 square miles in that area! 

We're having similar issues here in central Oklahoma.  Our problem is there is a lot more dry vegetation to burn.  We haven't had any measurable precipitation in 75 days, and that fell as snow.

Cedar trees explode like bombs when fire hits them, and they spray embers for hundreds of feet in 40mph winds.

Darin
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Offline Front Street Books

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2011, 08:07:18 AM »
bigbendnow.com (the Sentinel's official website) is a good source of info - but they were covering until late last night so I'm not sure when they will be updating again. Also marfapublicradio.org online. They are only streaming, their transmitter had the power damaged in the fire yesterday so they are off the air.

I just stepped onto my porch to see the state, and the early morning smoke is just starting to rise. Last reports are that the fire was going to make it to Balmorrhea and potentially beyond. It was 0% contained as of midnight. It's also reported that it made it into the state park. No word on the Observatory.

Several other fires in the region have been popping up as well, we're in a crunch. Check ahead before driving out here as some roads have been closed on and off.

The Big Bend Park, however, is fine and reportedly as of yesterday not windy either.
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Offline homerboy2u

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2011, 08:34:47 AM »
The magnitude of these wildfires is just indescribable. Whole mountain areas have been burned to the ground, specially the ones in  Canyoned Areas, as Darin Kerr said it all fuel by the dry vegetation from the recent droughts.

  Nasa Satellite Imagery shows a steady advancement of the Sierra WF's. The Images are very gut wrenching. I hope all of you, are doing better than we are here.

  This the type of news, you do not like to share.... :icon_frown:

Homero
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Offline Quatro

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2011, 09:34:16 AM »
Here in Central Texas, the winds have been strong from the SE as is typical for this time of year.  My hope is that supression of any existing fire will be aided as winds switch to the NW with the approaching front, causing them to be pushed back onto already burned areas. Won't help for new fires.
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Offline badknees

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2011, 09:47:49 AM »
Although it is devastating for those who live in the area with loss of structures, crops, etc., there is the positive side to fire

"Campaigns in the United States have historically molded public opinion to believe that wildfires are always harmful to nature. This view is based on the outdated belief that ecosystems progress toward an equilibrium and that any disturbance, such as fire, disrupts the harmony of nature. More recent ecological research has shown, however, that fire is an integral component in the function and biodiversity of many natural habitats, and that the organisms within these communities have adapted to withstand, and even to exploit, natural wildfire.
 
Fire suppression, in combination with other human-caused environmental changes, has resulted in unforeseen consequences for natural ecosystems. Some uncharacteristically large wildfires in the United States have been caused as a consequence of years of fire suppression and the continuing expansion of people into fire-adapted ecosystems. Land managers are faced with tough questions regarding where to restore a natural fire regime."


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Offline SHANEA

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2011, 02:26:19 PM »
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Offline Terlingua50337

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2011, 06:35:42 PM »
"must be getting close to the scout camp..."

Man I hope not, I loved that place as a kid. A lot of good things happens there.

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Offline Casa Grande

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2011, 06:41:01 PM »
at least 30 homes in Ft. Davis destroyed; one fire moving towards Mitre Peak in route to Alpine; one fire between the "Y" and the Strauss Ranch moving towards the Glass Mountains.....
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Offline Front Street Books

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2011, 10:08:58 AM »
The Ft. davis/Marfa fire is now 40% contained. They are focusing on the Mitre peak and Wild Rose Pass areas of that fire right now. The 67/90 fire got scary last night for Alpine residents, but it appears to be at least controlled at this point.

Excellent resources for fire news:

www.bigbendnow.com
www.marfapublicradio.org

and this live fire map - go below the map and click the "fire" option. It will show you where the current blazes are.
http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=30.30146980&lon=-104.02073669&zoom=8&pin=Marfa%2C+TX

On Facebook, there is a "Fort Davis Fires" group with updates and inquiries from on the ground - some true, some rumors.

Per the Texas Mountain Trails director, much of the historic areas of Fort Davis were saved, along with other areas of visitor interest. The observatory was not affected.

Anyone interested in helping long distance, there is an article in the bigbendnow site listing organizations accepting donations for the region (or physical help if you are out here).
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Offline SHANEA

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Re: What the fire?
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2011, 01:06:02 PM »
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