Central Tx fires

[Spacemom]

Is anyone being affected by the Central Texas fires?

We are 15 miles from the Bastrop fire which has burned over 16000 acres so far.

I'm so nervous. This is catastrophic.

I'm getting pretty good info from #centraltxfires on twitter

Please send thoughts, prayers, vibes to those being affected and in the path of this fire.

[christx30]

1. The Bastrop

animal shelter is being evacuated. They need people at Austin Pets Alive to help put together cages or foster dogs.
If you can help please go to http://www.austinpetsalive.org/foster to apply, or head on up to Austin Pets Alive at 2807 Manchaca Rd. in Austin, Texas. There are currently about 150 people up there either as volunteers or prospective foster parents. My family and I went up there just now to try to foster a dog, but there weren't any there yet that could go home with kids tonight. Expecting them to call us back tomorrow.

[christx30]

3. The Shelter

got a count of the dogs that they are going to get. They can hold 60 dogs and cats. They are getting 160 animals. They are waiving all adoption fees for cats and dogs. If you can take in an animal or two, or can donate time/money/supplies, please do so. Also, the volunteers have been working for 10 hours straight with no breaks for meals. If you can take up food for the volunteers, please do so. I'll be up there volunteering on Wednesday.

[Jane Austin]

4. I've left a message for our kennel manager in Buda

to call Pets Alive in the morning to see what we can do to help.

I'm sure our kennel is full for Labor Day, but perhaps we can provide transportation or lend them some of our crates and leads and things like that.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

We live in Bastrop County, but we are about 15 miles north of the firest.

[christx30]

5. I'm off work

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, so I am planning on going up and seeing what I can do. If you have any ideas, I'd love to know. But I drive a minivan, so I can carry lots of supplies, tools, people or animals around to wherever they are needed.
I was also thinking about volunteering my excellent driving services to picking up donated clothes or whatever for people that are evacuating Bastrop. I just don't know where to go.

[Jane Austin]

10. I heard back from our kennel manager this morning

and she had already reached out to Steiner Ranch which is also on fire, so we are full.

I will make a donation to Pets Alive, though.

[efhmc]

12. Will be in Austin tomorrow. Will take some money/supplies.

[onestepforward]

2. Sending lots of thoughts, prayers and vibes to all.

Please be safe!

:grouphug:

[Spacemom]

6. Can't Sleep

I'm watching http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=31.48489&lon=-100.41504&zoom=6&type=map&units=english&top=fire&rad=0&wxsn=0&svr=0&cams=0&sat=0&riv=0&mm=0&hur=0&fire=1&fire.sat=1&fire.smk=1&fire.day=1&fire.day=7&fire.hrmin=0&fire.hrmax=24&fire.opa=70&fire.mode=0&tor=0&ndfd=0&pix=0&dir=0&ads=0&tfk=0&ski=0

[christx30]

7. I'm watching it too

and listening to police/fire scanners for Austin. I live right by Austin-Bergstrom Airport, which is less than 20 minutes from the fire. Wife and I have our van packed up ready to split if we need to. Even remembered to pack up the kids' favorite stuffed animals.

[white cloud]

8. Prayers sent

Been through a tornado. Know the feeling of helplessness. Safety & Best to all.

[syberlion]

9. My Fiance's Sister is staying with us as well as her 3 cats and

1 dog. Her area's not directly affected as of yet, but the stable where her horses are had to evacuate. We are in Kyle and you can smell a slight tinge of smoke in the air. So, we're fostering a few pets during this Bastrop crisis, just family pets at this time...

Our thoughts are with those who have evacuated and don't know what they will find when they get back.

I lived in the San Fernando vally in California and have lived through one of the big fires out there, so I know how scary this can all be.

[Fleshdancer]

11. A new wildfire popped up in Leander

LEANDER, Texas -- Residents have been told to leave their homes after a brushfire broke out near the intersection of Moon Glow and Honey Suckle Way.

http://www.kvue.com/news/Fire-breaks-out-in-Leander-residents-being-evacuated-129270508.html

Hopefully this will be contained quickly. This intersection 6 miles from my home. :(

[efhmc]

13. Daughter just went through the area on way back to Austin

from Lampasas. Hope it is stopped quickly.

[Greywing]

14. Anxious for you all

Hope you stay safe

[Manifestor_of_Light]

15. Fires in Houston and Anderson County.

Yesterday in north part of Palestine, and NE of Grapeland.
Today a huge fire in Crockett, Houston County.

Hwy. 21 is blocked.

[TBF]

16. I'm in south Houston -

but I heard about fires reaching Grimes & Montgomery County. That's about 80 miles from here. I'm so sad about the losses in the Austin area and the rest of central Texas - buildings, homes, along with animals and environment. It's just devastating.

[ellenrr]

17. this is terrible. and surprisingly, gov perry, the one who wanted

to secede, is requesting federal aid.

Not saying the people there shouldn't get federal aid. You should get all the aid you need. Just goes to show the idiocy of Perry's and the other tea baggers' position.
And the catastrohpic consequences.

"Since the start of wildfire season, local and state crews have responded to more than 20,900 fires that have destroyed more than 1,000 homes and burned 3.6 million acres, the governor's office said."

"The fires also threatened historic structures in Bastrop State Park, many of which were constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and threatened the endangered Houston toad. Bastrop County's Lost Pines area is home to the largest known population of the small, reclusive amphibians."


be safe

[ellenrr]

18. How many Texas Guard helicopters are in Afghanistan?

report this morning said that "helicopaters are dumping as much water as they can" on the blaze.

Blaze is still out of control.

[kentauros]

19. The Houston Press has a brief post on their news blog

that includes some good links for helping out:

Texas Wildfires, Via Facebook and Twitter

By Richard Connelly
Tue., Sep. 6 2011 at 11:01 AM

Recently we wondered what 9/11 would have been like with today's social media.

We're getting some slight taste of it with the wildfires raging through Central Texas and Magnolia.

People are tweeting updates, pleas for help rescuing livestock and horses, putting up photos and setting up pages where volunteers can help out.

Harris County officials say there is no threat here, but they have put up info on how they are helping battle the blazes.

(((more at linked-headline)))

[readmoreoften]

20. I'm in east Austin and I'm nervous. I know it'll probably be ok but I'm still freaked out

There's an 24 mile wall of fire about 20 miles away and growing every day and approachnv on the horizon. The smoke is bothering a lot of people's throats. Now this fancy water plane they shipped from Cali can't fly until FRIDAY. So I'm nervous, yes.

[ChillbertKChesterton]

21. I'm close enough to see the smoke

this is pretty insane

it is visible from space!

[ellenrr]

22. There is a prison in or near Bastrop

Those folk must be terrified (I have a friend there). Knowing that the powers don't care about them.
Anybody hear what measures if any are being taken, or are they going to let them burn?

[efhmc]

23. Don't believe they would be allowing visitors tomorrow if not

okay. "The Bastrop Federal Correction Facility has suspended ALL visitation and expect to resume normal visitation hours on September 9. This includes attorneys visiting. But they don’t appear to be in any danger of the fire and except for the satellite camp which is unfenced, the prison remains secure."

[ellenrr]

25. thanks. I'm glad to know this. n/t

[kentauros]

24. According to WunderMap (Weather Underground)

the Bastrop fire has an "active fire perimeter". I'm guessing this means they've managed to contain it so it won't spread, but haven't yet put it out.

At the same time, the fire in Magnolia has no fire perimeter and appears to still be out of control. The little fire-icons on the WunderMap pop up info on that particular area and all give a percentage of "confidence". Again, I'm guessing this has to do with containment, but no explanation is posted.

Here's a link to the map and another bit on The Houston Press about how the smoke is affecting the city:

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=30.04413&lon=-95.77469&zoom=10&type=hyb&units=english&pin=Houston&plat=29.71940&plon=-95.22285&rad=0&wxsn=0&svr=0&cams=0&sat=0&riv=0&mm=0&hur=0&fire=1&fire.sat=1&fire.smk=1&fire.day=1&fire.day=7&fire.hrmin=0&fire.hrmax=24&fire.opa=70&fire.mode=1&tor=0&ndfd=0&pix=0&dir=0&ads=0&dd=0&tfk=0&ski=0&stormreports=0

Yes, That's Wildfire Smoke You're Seeing And Smelling (UPDATE: HISD Cancels/Re-Schedules Some Games)

[onestepforward]

26. Question about homeowners' losses and insurance

So many people have lost their homes due to the fires. Does anyone know if the typical homeowners insurance will pay for the losses or are wildfires considered "an act of God" and therefore not covered?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

27. We have several wildfires in Houston and Anderson Counties. East TX.