Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[txdon]

I don't know why they said they have it 50% controlled - it is getting bigger, it's now at 2000 acres. The fire fighters are worn out and they do not want to call us to help, they want experienced firefighters from Houston and Dallas. . . so we will sit here and wait till it crosses the county line.

Brandi, is your daughter getting the smoke?

Bernice might still be ok as long as the wind pushed it more West than North.

edit - Now the wind is from the east pushing the fire West. I just looked at the wind for the next 12 hours - it will be heading this way, the wind will shift and come from the South and Southwest It's about 30 miles from here and 10 miles from Bernice.

 

[sseelhoff]

I drove from La Grange to Austin today and from Bastrop to Austin is very smokey, now the wind has shifted and the smoke is headed to Georgetown.

I could see the smoke plume driving south from Austin toward Lockhart. 1500 acres last I heard. That was up from 375 acres this a.m.

 

[txdon]

Now they are reporting it's only 10% controlled - that means it is getting away from them, and the winds will be picking up tomorrow.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Now they are reporting it's only 10% controlled - that means it is getting away from them, and the winds will be picking up tomorrow.

That fire may be less than 4 miles from Bernice now.

Link to Giddings 10 day forecast including wind velocity and direction.
Giddings, TX (77853) Forecast | Weather Underground

 

[txdon]

Here's a pic of 1/4 of the trail of smoke that will shift over me tomorrow.

This trail of smoke starting at Smithville extends between Elgin and Manor

 

[txdon]

That fire may be less than 4 miles from Bernice now.

Link to Giddings 10 day forecast including wind velocity and direction.
Giddings, TX (77853) Forecast | Weather Underground

I don't like the graphs and arrows on the wind. I like this site from Hourly to 10 day: http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/Lexington+TX+78942

 

[txdon]

Just as predicted the smoke has engulfed us. I have taped up the fresh air vent to the house. (This is a foam house and outside air is pumped in every 20 minutes.) I'm still waiting for the sun to come up to see how dense it is. The flashlight just goes to the end of the yard before it whites out. Kyle is there smoke in Gidddings?

30 streets have been evacuated but Bernice's street in not one of them yet.

Agget Road
Alum Creek from SH71 to Park Road 1C
Ann Powell Road
Broken Tree Lane
Cottletown Road
Felix Drive
Gotier Trace from Cottletown to Alum Creek
Harmon Road
Hudson Drive
Kellar Road
Kingdom Path
KLBJ Road
Long Road
O’Grady Road
Old Antioch Road from Park Road 1C to Turkey Trot
Park Hill Farms
Park Road 1C from Old Antioch to LKBJ Road
Pine Bark Drive
Pine Needle lane
Powell Road
Raven Road
Rolling Pines Dr.
Spring Hollow Trail
Tall Pines Road
Tree Top Lane
Turkey Trot
Village Forest Drive
Wild Bird Loop

 

[txdon]

Containment: 15%
Acres burned: 4,200
Homes destroyed: 9

Update 3:30 a.m.: 4,200 acres now burned, according to Texas A&M Forest Service. Three homes saved, 154 homes threatened.

The Smoke is interfering with our line of sight internet service and is getting slower and slower.

 

[Spindifferent]

Light smoke haze yesterday north of Austin through Leander, Georgetown, and Liberty Hill.

 

[txdon]

It has gotten considerable worse the last 15 minutes visibility went from 200 yards to 75 feet