Texas heats up-2006

[NJFFSA16]

DALLAS (AP) - A wildfire sparked by a welder burned 550 acres
Wednesday and threatened a Comal County subdivision, fire officials
said.
Homeowners prepared to evacuate the Bridlewood Ranch subdivision
near San Marcos, but shifting winds helped firefighters protect the
homes, said Traci Weaver, spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service.
Firefighters continued to monitor the fire Wednesday night and
prepared to attack it again Thursday, Weaver said. It was 40
percent contained.
The Comal County fire was one of several burning in hot and dry
conditions in parts of the state. Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees
in some areas, while gusty winds made it more difficult for
firefighters to get a handle on five new fires, the forest service
reported.
"We're concerned about continued really dry conditions over the
next couple of days," Weaver said.
Also Wednesday, firefighters contained a 275-acre fire in
Callahan County.
They stopped the forward progression of a 35-acre fire in Erath
County that threatened nine homes, outbuildings and a camper
trailer.
In Bosque County, two volunteer firefighters were treated for
heat exhaustion while battling a 22-acre fire.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[BDVFD784]

My guys were the first to arrive on the Erath County.It was about 6 miles from the station.Alot of mutual aid kept this from being a bad fire.We had about 25 brush trucks and a chopper on it within 45 mins.It was some rough country and the chopper saved the day.Our new 5 ton saved it's first house and made the front page of the paper.

[NJFFSA16]

August 19th

CADDO, Texas (AP) - Drought-parched grass and gusting winds
fueled wildfires in West Texas on Saturday that destroyed at least
one home, threatened several others and burned a swath of land more
than five miles long.
Authorities said no injuries have been reported from the fires,
which began Friday and have engulfed more than 4,300 acres in Palo
Pinto and Stephens Counties, about 85 miles west of Fort Worth.
A hunter's cabin was destroyed but firefighters saved six homes
threatened by the flames, Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci
Weaver said. Evacuations were considered by authorities but
officials later backed off the idea after deciding the threat
wasn't as imminent as first thought, she said.
Parts of Stephens County had lost power by early Saturday and
firefighters were still protecting the small town of Caddo in
Stephens County, which has about 40 residents.
"When conditions are this dry, it is very difficult," Weaver
said. "A simple wind shift or something like that, and they may
have to ready to evacuate right away."
Firefighters worked into the night trying to contain the fires,
which were expected to keep burning Sunday.
Collapsing plumes of smoke caused sharp wind gusts estimated at
about 30 mph in the early afternoon, said National Weather Service
meteorologist Daniel Huckaby.
Smoke filled the sky over almost all 900 square miles of
Stephens County, and down gusts spread the fire erratically,
Huckaby said.
Weaver said firefighters were forced to withdraw in the early
afternoon but returned to the line a few hours later when the most
dangerous conditions had subsided.
Weaver said the fire was likely sparked by accident Friday when
a truck blew out a tire and was driving on a bald rim. With no rain
in the forecast and hot weather expected to continue through the
weekend, Weaver called the situation "explosive."
Huckaby said highs in Stephens County peaked near 104 degrees on
Saturday and humidity was a very dry 25 percent. Forecasters called
for a slim chance of isolated rain Monday and Tuesday, but Huckaby
said showers weren't likely.
"As long as the drought continues, as long as there is plenty
of dry fuel for the wildfires, the threat is going to remain," he
said.
Weaver said a record-setting year for wildfires has burned
nearly 2 million acres across the state since January, killing 17
people and destroying more than 1,000 structures.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

August 21st

CADDO, Texas (AP) - Firefighters trying to contain wildfires
that have charred 7,500 acres and destroyed one home in West Texas
expected to work into Tuesday morning.
Despite 104 degree temperatures and low humidity, crews were
able to make progress fighting the blaze Monday. The four fires,
called the Caddo II Complex, were about 50 percent contained Monday
afternoon as temperatures reached as high as 104 degrees, said
Traci Weaver, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service.
But the continued drought will only mean more fires in the
coming months,
"Fire activity is picking up over a lot of the state right
now," Weaver said. "As it continues to get drier and drier every
day, the vegetation just bakes. It becomes more and more likely to
catch fire."
National Weather Service meteorologist Daniel Huckaby said
isolated rain and storms expected Tuesday in different parts of the
state are unlikely to quench the drought.
"There could be some relief from the rains in terms of
temperatures," Huckaby said. "But there are other issues. If the
thunderstorms are some ways away, you could have strong winds with
no rain and dry lightning which could make the fire situation
worse."
No deaths have been reported, but one hunting cabin was burned
in the area, about 85 miles west of Fort Worth. Twelve homes and
four ranches remain threatened by the Caddo II Complex fires,
Weaver said.
The Caddo fires are believed to have been sparked Friday by a
truck with a blowout riding on its rim.
Lighting sparked another fire in Palo Pinto County which has
consumed more than 1,780 acres. It was about 70 percent contained
by Monday night, the Texas Forest Service said.
Monday afternoon, an 18-acre wildfire ignited near Smithland in
Marion County in East Texas. The blaze destroyed two barns, two
homes and two cars before firefighters could contain it, said
Forest Service spokesman Lee McNeely.
Even scattered rains expected in different parts of the state
Tuesday are unlikely to ease fire risk, Weaver said.
The Caddo area will see a small chance of rain Tuesday and winds
may reach 15 mph in the afternoon and night. Highs should be in the
upper 90s and lows in the mid-70s.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely in the Amarillo area with
heavy rainfall possible. Highs should be in the lower 80s. A 50
percent chance of showers and storms is forecast for Tuesday night
with lows in the mid-60s.
The Houston area faces a 30 percent chance of rain with highs
likely in the mid-90s. Lows at night should be in the mid-70s with
a continued chance of showers and storms.
A 20 percent chance of showers and storms is forecast for the
Dallas-Fort Worth area in the afternoon and into the night. Highs
should be around 100 degrees and lows in the upper 70s.
Residents of the Austin area can expect highs in the 90s and
some clouds. Rain is possible at night and lows should be in the
lower 70s.
This is the worst year on record for wildfires, which have
already claimed more than 1.9 million acres across the state since
January.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

August 22nd

Firefighters still battling blaze in West Texas

CADDO, Texas (AP) - Firefighters constructed fire breaks and
attacked hot spots today as they battled fires burning in West
Texas.
The Caddo Two Complex fire in Stephens and Palo Pinto counties
has been burning since last week, consuming about 7,500 acres.
Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver says rugged and
rocky terrain dotted with canyons makes it difficult to contain the
fire.
Weaver says the fires remain about 50 percent contained.
It started Friday night in an area about 85 miles west of Fort
Worth and burned a hunting cabin on Saturday.
Lightning sparked another fire in Palo Pinto County that has
consumed more than 1,780 acres. the Texas Forest Service said it
was about 95 percent contained today.
Officials say lightning also caused several small fires in East
Texas.
This is the worst year on record for wildfires. They have
claimed more than 1.9 (m) million acres across the state since
January.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

August 24th morning update

CADDO, Texas (AP) - Firefighters constructed several more miles
of control line Wednesday around wildfires that have destroyed
about 7,500 acres and a house in Stephens and Palo Pinto counties.
The fire, burning since Friday, was 60 percent controlled
Wednesday, said Texas Forest Service spokesman Robert Beanblossom.
No one has been reported injured, but 12 homes remained threatened,
he said.
While scattered storms moved across the state Tuesday and
Wednesday, the rain has done little to alleviate fire risk in
drought-parched Texas, said meteorologist Jennifer Dunn with the
National Weather Service.
"A lot of the ground has already developed cracks in it," she
said. "A lot of the rain is just going to fall deep into those
cracks or just evaporate because we are still seeing triple-digit
temperatures."
The weather service issued a high fire danger warning for
Thursday for north central Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth
area.
A 200-acre wildfire started Wednesday in Kaufman County and is
now 90 percent contained, officials said. No one was injured.
A 300-acre fire began in Schleicher County on Wednesday and was
50 percent contained by Wednesday night, officials said. No one has
been reported injured.
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(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)