As Texas continues to swelter in one of the worst droughts in the state's recorded history, wildfires rage through the parched landscape. The 101 Ranch Road Fire in Palo Pinto County has now burned 7,252 acres according to Tom Berglund, Public Information Officer for the Texas Forest Service Lone Star Incident Management Team.
Thirty-nine homes were lost, along with nine RVs, to the wildfire on the south side of Possum Kingdom Lake near Brad, Texas. The fire is 60% contained and firefighters were able to save 199 homes once threatened by the fire, which started in the early afternoon of August 30, 2011. Evacuations have been lifted for Gaines Bend, Garland Bend, and Sportsman's World.
The three 1500 gallon CL-215s working the fire provided invaluable assistance to the National Guard Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters all scooping thousands of gallons of water from Possum Kingdom Lake. There are also nine strike teams of Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System engines assisting with the blaze.
Strong Winds Predicted From Tropical Storm Lee
Strong winds from Tropical Storm Lee, now pelting the Gulf Coast, could complicate the efforts of firefighters. Texas Forest Service Communications Officer Tom Berglund said, "We have been talking about this storm for days."
"It is a big tropical storm with low pressures and a high ridge building over to the north," Berglund explained. "The storm is expected to bring strong winds. Of course, the storm might also bring some moisture, but it is the winds moving further away from the storm that concern us."
Berglund also explained that the fuels, or dried grasses and trees, remaining on the drought-scarred landscape of Texas are 1000 hour fuels. This means it will take more than 1000 hours for the fuels to change their moisture content, no matter how much rain might come from storms coming up from the Gulf.
"Depending on the size of the fuels they will react more or less quickly to the change in the environment," Berglund said. "We may get some high humidity in Texas from this tropical storm, but if the wildfires start up again the fuels will burn quickly. If the wind is as bad as predicted--30 to 40 miles per hour--it could be very serious. We are also talking about winds crossing large sections of the state. These dry winds will be coming from the east, northeast, and north, expanding and drying as they move, creating further drying of fuels."
Berglund said he is deeply concerned about Texas at this point, as are all firefighters across the state preparing to meet this potential threat. "This is lining up to be the worst conditions that we've seen all year," Berglund said. "Firefighters statewide are gathering all resources so they will be ready and available to respond to whatever comes our way."
The Historic Texas Drought Continues
April Saginor, Communications Specialist with the Texas Forest Service, also expressed her concerns about the combination of the historic drought conditions, Labor Day festivities, and Tropical Storm Lee. "We are cautioning people to be careful over the Labor Day weekend," she said. Labor Day weekend festivities in Texas often involve large family gatherings that could be potentially dangerous as over-heated trucks are parked on grass so dry they are ready to self-combust and the slightest spark from a barbecue pit or grill is enough to start a raging inferno.
Unfortunately, these conditions will continue long past the Labor Day holiday. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center announced on September 1, 2011, that the drought in Texas, the most severe drought Texas has suffered in fifty years, "should persist and expand from the Southwest eastward into the interior Southeast by the end of November."
This is not welcome news for residents of towns such as Llano, Texas, living with Stage 4 water restrictions since the beginning of June. Stage 4 water restrictions means no outdoor watering of any kind. They have no choice--the Llano River is drying up.
Llano, Burnet, Bastrop, and other south central Texas counties where temperatures hover around 100 degrees this time of year, are all under a Red Flag Warning--strong, gusty winds combined with low humidity have created near critical fire weather conditions.
Currently, 81% of the State of Texas is experiencing exceptional drought conditions. Of the 254 Texas counties, 251 are still under burn bans, and the wildfires continue to burn. Since the start of the Texas wildfire season in November of 2010, firefighters have responded to 20,631 fires burning a record 3,549,047 acres.
Darla Sue Dollman - Darla Sue Dollman, BA, MFA, has expertise in classic films, the Old West, boating, and animals.
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