Texas fires

[BrettT]

I'm only about 25 miles from the big fire going on outside of Austin. So far roughly 1,400 homes destroyed, 34,000 acres burning, and only 30% contained. Luckily only 2 deaths reported. This entire state is a fucking match just waiting to go up right now, and it's scary as hell. I was flying over Texas on Monday returning from a trip to Ohio, and I saw at least 15 different wildfires from the air. All it takes is one dumbass to throw a cigarette out the window of a car for something like this to happen. I'm always seeing roadside fires in the area, and a few of them have been scarily close to my neighborhood.

As much as I hate to say it, we really need a tropical storm to sit on top of this state and piss all over it for a bit. I've forgotten what rain looks and feels like.

 

[Vinny]

Indeed, it sucks. I'm about an hour from the fires.
Heard on the radio that this summer in Texas was the hottest on record out of all of the states EVER recorded in US History.

 

[sprack]

2 of my coworkers lost their places out near Bastrop. We had the Steiner fire just down 620 from us, one in Leander and an apartment fire just down the road all in 2 days. My lawn is dead, trying to keep the trees alive. Someone is gonna make a killing in sod this spring. Guess this is what happens when Rick Perry prays for rain.

I can't wait for this summer to be over with and some cold rainy sweatshirt weather.

 

[Terminus]

My grandmother & grandfather had to evacuate their house for a day but I think theyre back home now... not due to the Bastrop wildfires, but the one started by three dumbass teenagers in Leander that happened on the same day. Theyre still looking for them according to Jeff Ward. Also have some relatives over in the Bastrop area but I'm not sure if it's affecting them directly.

Yeah it's still terribly hot outside during the day, and if you walk in some grass you can hear it crackling from the dryness. Can see how easy it would be to go up in flames. RAIN DAMMIT!

 

[grywolf627]

...I can't wait for this summer to be over with and some cold rainy sweatshirt weather.

It may start cooling off, but it definitely won't be a wet fall/winter. The drought is predicted to reach into next year, maybe as far off as NEXT November. I'm glued to the news every day trying to see what's going on in the Austin area. It's unbelievable just how massive that has become. The closest fires we have here in the Houston area are the Magnolia fires (outside of Houston). Nowhere near the scale as the Bastrop fires. But large enough that Houston has been blanketed by smoke clouds for several days...especially in the mornings. It was really bad this morning. Even if they get all these fires out, or at least under control....like has been said...it only takes one careless idiot to start another one right now. We're nowhere close to be out of the woods, any time soon.

And yeah, a tropical depression or storm would actually be a GOOD thing.

 

[BrettT]

2 of my coworkers lost their places out near Bastrop. We had the Steiner fire just down 620 from us, one in Leander and an apartment fire just down the road all in 2 days. My lawn is dead, trying to keep the trees alive. Someone is gonna make a killing in sod this spring. Guess this is what happens when Rick Perry prays for rain.

I can't wait for this summer to be over with and some cold rainy sweatshirt weather.

My gf lives out near Steiner off of 620, but her apt. complex is unaffected. I'm actually in Manor, so I should be safe from the Bastrop fires, but I'm definitely not letting my guard down. 25 miles sounds like a safe distance, but it's really not, especially when you consider that the current fire covers 40 square miles. Also with the current conditions, a fire can break out anywhere at any given time and will spread extremely quickly. My subdivision is basically surrounded by fields of hay...not very comforting.

I'm really worried about my home's foundation as well. The ground has shrunk away from the foundation along the edges of my home, and my driveway is beginning to crack. There are cracks in my yard's soil that are between 6-12" wide and go quite deep. I try to water my lawn every couple days, just to keep it moist in the case that a fire would break out.

 

[AllanD]

I couldn't see the clouds over the smoke on the way home for lunch today, jesus. My co-worker is apparently only 3 miles away from the evacuation point, this shit is really messed up.

 

[sprack]

@grywolf627 Unfortunately my wife is a meteorologist. I blame her for the weather.

@BrettT All this has kickstarted me into making lists with serial #'s and taking pictures in case I every have to make an insurance claim.

 

[J the TyranT]

Two girls I know had to evacuate for a day or so. The other night when leaving a bar a friend of mine and I could smell the smoke in the air in the Woodlands.

My friend in Prairie View said he came to his car one morning and there were ashes on it.

This shit is fuckin nuts

 

[Vinny]

Was supposed to rain Labor Day weekend. Didn't and it sucks. Doesn't help that they are forecasting 100-103 highs every day this coming week.

 

[AllanD]

Was supposed to rain Labor Day weekend. Didn't and it sucks. Doesn't help that they are forecasting 100-103 highs every day this coming week.

FUCKING HELL. This week it was like 65 in the mornings, it was almost cool enough to be hoodie weather, I thought the heat was finally letting off.

 

[Vinny]

Yea. Same down here. It was 58 last Tuesday morning on my way to class.

*EDIT* They dropped the high down to 101. A whole 2 degrees. Wow... Lol

 

[grywolf627]

How are all you Austin dwellers doing? Everyone okay so far? What's the situation like now?

 

[BrettT]

How are all you Austin dwellers doing? Everyone okay so far? What's the situation like now?

Things are fine in my neck of the woods. Bastrop is still on fire, but most of the news updates are regarding emergency assistance, letting people return home, etc.