Texas on fire???

buckle97 · Dec 29, 2005

So this weekend it will probably be very busy for the fire departments in the area. 

There are still a lot of homes in my area with "blue roofs"; the blue tarps that FEMA provided to keep the weather out of people's damaged homes. The newspaper and radio news reports are all talking about if fireworks come in contact with the tarps, they will almost certainly ignite into flames. We have had a pretty dry year also, but not nearly as dry as Texas. One of the news reporters said: "This weekend will be a busy one for the local fire departments."

Lawrence

hudr · Jan 7, 2006

I hear you Harv, I've got a lot of pipe sticking out of the ground that really needs something welded to it, but I ain't taking the chance. Up here in Bowie county I have yet to talk to anyone (oldtimer or not) who remembers it being this dry. I work swing shift at a nearby Army Depot and all the voluteer firemen I work with have been showing up at work bleary eyed from fighting grass fires. One fire made a nice little funnel right back to a cigarrette butt thrown out on a right of way. One moments carelessnes and WHOOSH the whole world burns up. We have ponds around here that are spring fed and this is the first time I have ever seen them dry. Most of our hay comes out of Kansas and CO this year. We got our second cutting..... in NOVEMBER!

texbaylea · Jan 8, 2006

I am beginning to feel like we are sitting on a time bomb. We have had relative few brush fires in the county and all have been contained within a day with few structures involved. The counties just North of us have been hit harder with larger blazes.

It is supposed to get up into the 80's today but so far the winds are light.

Just keeping my fingers crossed.

Vernon

EddieWalker · Jan 9, 2006

I hear ya Vernon. Nothing but pine trees on my place and if they catch on fire, things will get pretty bad.

I spent a good part of the day cleaning up my roads to create fire blocks and access routs. I honestly don't think it will matter if they catch on fire, but I couldn't "NOT" do something.

Eddie

texbaylea · Jan 9, 2006

Eddie

I am doing the same thing in more clearing near the House. With all the juniper we have, if it gets started everything will go. I suspect our greatest danger is some idiot throwing out a cigarette along the road. I have to make a regular patrol to pick up the trash thrown out now.

Vernon

EddieWalker · Jan 9, 2006

Speaking of idiots...

We had four fires close by over the weekend.

One was started by an illegal burn. 30 acres gone.

Second was started by a cigerette. 100 acres gone.

Third was started by a tractor that overheated while mowing.

Fourth was started by an absolute MORON who was draging a trailer without a wheel. The sparks from the axle dragging on the road started the fire. 90 acres gone.

Eddie

jinman · Jan 10, 2006

Last night on the way home, I kept being passed by the same Sheriff's Deputy going really fast up and down the road (4 lane highway with crossovers). I couldn't figure out what he was doing until I saw him stopped on the side of the road, stomping out a little fire caused by a cigarette butt someone had thrown out.

I just had to think that the Deputy really knew what the phrase "to protect and serve" really means. He was patrolling an area looking for small fires cause by idiots throwing out lighted cigarettes. I think if it had been me, I'd have a hard time not going after the perpetrator. It just seems like such a waste of taxpayer's money and yet that officer could have been responsible for saving lives and a lot of property. Sometimes we don't give these guys enough credit. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bird · Jan 10, 2006

( I'd have a hard time not going after the perpetrator )

I'll bet if he'd seen the perpetrator; i.e., knew who it was, he would have caught him/her and issued a citation.