Pyrates Deck

Anyone in Central Texas who needs a place to evacuate livestock can take their animals to the livestock arena located in Elgin. Please call Lorrie Phillips at 512 350-9566 anytime of the day or night. If owners don't have a trailer, she will send necessary number of trailers to get the animals out. Lorrie is taking donations of hay and grain for the people who have lost everything in this fire. Please also call Lorrie to donate hay or grain

Central Texas has dozens of wildfires burning right now, so many that they are asking for anyone with any firefighting experience to call
512-978-1187 ASAP. This is for firefighters only, not an information line.....

Magnolia ISD (schools) will be closed Tuesday
due to the wild fires.

Thanks WP - it aint gonna happen
we get temps in the 50's tommorow morning
while I should be happy I know it comes
with low humidity, winds and no rain

CALL OUT Please Re-Post....Tomball Fire Department was called to be the drop off for people in the Tomball area wanting to donate bottled water, gatorade, crackers, energy bars, and packaged non-perishable foods to deliver to the responders at 2am tonight on one of their trucks. So for those of you that want to help.....take them to the main Tomball Fire Station.

ya know wp -
its finally going to be in the upper 50's tonight
here's the irony: after our hell summer, we should
all be celebrating and happy
however, we know our humidity is low
the winds are out of the north
and there will be no rain for the next 10 days.
so we have at least another week of fire danger.
whooppeee huh?

Thanks Mass and NEW

Today dawns brighter
and winds dying down.
Hopefully today our firefighters
and other essential workers can
really get these fires under control.

Yesterday was dismal.

On the UPSIDE - windows can finally
be opened - nice to go through a normal
wx day after so much heat suffering
around here.

96L has just formed in the BOC
this too is forecast NOT to hit Texas
however, as it passes us by, it may leave
us in the same situation - wind and no rain.

If it doesn't go into Mexico and heads
to the Central Gulf again...

Pray for Texas.

I'll take them all Pat
but if I were you, I'd be heads up pal

TEXAS FOREST SERVICE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
National Preparedness Level: 3
Southern Area Preparedness Level: 4
TFS Preparedness Level: 5

CURRENT SITUATION

Yesterday Texas Forest Service responded to 19 new fires for 1,490 acres, including new large fires in Red River and Rusk counties. In the past seven days Texas Forest Service has responded to 172 fires for 135,051 acres.

An assessment has been completed on the Bastrop County Complex and 785 homes have been reported destroyed. An additional 238 have been reported lost on other fires in the past three days, for a total of approximately 1,023.

A significant number of aircraft have been mobilized to assist with the heavy fire activity. Six heavy airtankers, three 1500-gallon scoopers, 15 single-engine airtankers, twelve helicopters, and twelve aerial supervision aircraft are in place. Eight National Guard Blackhawk and three Chinook helicopters have been providing critical aerial support. In addition, a 12,000-gallon DC-10 airtanker will be activated Friday morning at the Austin-Bergstrom Airport. This aircraft was instrumental in helping to contain Wildcat Fire in Coke County last April.

A Type I Incident Management Team is in place in Bastrop this morning and is assisting Texas Forest Service in managing the Bastrop County Complex. Additional Type 1 teams have been requested to assist with the large fires in Northeast and Southeast Texas.

New large fires from yesterday (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels; or where homes were lost):

HALSBRO COMPLEX, Red River County. 950 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in grass. Fifteen homes are threatened, but none reported lost.

#510, Rusk County. 400 acres, unknown containment.
Uncontained fires from previous days (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels):

BASTROP COUNTY COMPLEX, Bastrop County. 33,038 acres, no containment. Heavy airtankers, scoopers, helicopters, and SEATs assisted on this fire that started in the Lost Pines area just northeast of Bastrop. Most of the forward progress of the fire has stopped, but significant intense burning continues in the interior. Twenty subdivisions remain evacuated. An assessment team has confirmed 885 homes have been destroyed. Two civilians were found dead yesterday as search crews went through the charred subdivisions. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

PEDERNALES BEND (Spicewood), Travis County. 6,500 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning four miles southeast of Spicewood. Sixty-seven homes were destroyed. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

BEAR CREEK (#536), Cass County. 14,000 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in heavy timber and is threatening a gas facility and chicken houses. Six homes have been destroyed. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

RILEY ROAD, Grimes/Montgomery/Waller counties. 5,000 acres, 30 percent contained. Seventy-five homes have been destroyed on this fire burning just west of Magnolia. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

TAMINA ROAD, Montgomery County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Hundreds of homes were evacuated Monday evening, but none was reported lost. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

UNION CHAPEL, Bastrop County. 912 acres, 20 percent contained. Twenty-five homes were destroyed on this fire just west of Bastrop. Aircraft responded immediately after the fire was reported, but were ineffective in the windy conditions.

MOONGLOW, Williamson County. 75 acres, 95 percent contained. This fire is burning in Leander where 150 homes were threatened. Thirteen homes are reported lost. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

PETERS CHAPEL, Harrison County. 650 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning actively in pine plantation. Numerous homes have been evacuated. There are no reports of losses.

STEINER RANCH, Travis County. 125 acres, 40 percent contained. The fire started just north of the Steiner Ranch subdivision. More than 1,000 homes were evacuated. Thirty-five homes were destroyed. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received.

HENDERSON #495, Anderson County. 5,000 acres, unknown containment. Three homes were saved.
#491, Limestone County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. Six homes were saved and one was lost on this fire 20 miles east of Waco.

DELHI, Caldwell County. 6,000 acres, 60 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved and six were lost on this fire east of Lockhart.

BAILEY, Colorado County. 2,300 acres, 75 percent contained. This fast-moving fire threatened 40 homes near Columbus. Ten homes were destroyed.

DIANA (#545), Upshur County. 2,500 acres,70 percent contained. The fire is burning in grass and timber. Twenty homes are threatened.

LUTHERHILL, Fayette County. 2,700 acres, 95 percent contained. The community of Ruttersville was evacuated. Fourteen homes were destroyed.

BONBIEW RANCH, Van Zandt County. 350 acres, 80 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved southeast of Canton.

MOORE, Smith County. 1,500 acres, 90 percent contained. Ten homes were evacuated and five were lost on this fire burning on the Smith/Gregg County line. Two civilian fatalities were reported.
BOOT WALKER (#553), Marion County. 2,000 acres, unknown containment. Thirty homes are threatened.

TOAD ROAD (#552), Upshur County. 350 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning in timber. Three homes were lost and dozens remain threatened.

HOPEWELL (#854), Walker County. 1,000 acres, 90 percent contained. Thirty homes have been evacuated, five homes were destroyed.

#507, Anderson County. 1,400 acres, unknown containment.

#504, Anderson County. 800 acres, unknown containment.

#502, Nacogdoches County. 4,000 acres, unknown containment. More than a dozen homes have been evacuated, but none lost.

ARBOR, Houston County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. The fire is burning in timber. Up to 15 homes are reported lost.

KENNEDY ROAD, Rusk County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Numerous homes threatened, one lost.

PETTYTOWN, Caldwell County. 200 acres, 95 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved east of Lockhart.

OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 1,000 acres, 80 percent contained. Several structures and a gas plant are threatened. Two fuel tanks exploded.

#839, Leon County (Concord Robbins). 4,000 acres, unknown containment. An estimated twenty homes are reported lost and more than 300 were evacuated. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was denied.

101 RANCH, Palo Pinto County. 6,555 acres, 85 percent contained. The fire is burning on the south side of Possum Kingdom Lake near the town of Brad. Thirty-nine homes and nine RV’s have been reported destroyed. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was received.


TODAY’S SAFETY MESSAGE

Fatigue/Stress
Accumulated (Chronic) Fatigue is defined as fatigue from which normal rest does not produce recovery. Accumulated fatigue is often caused by extended periods of stress with inadequate recovery periods, which results in decreased productivity, compromised immune function, and reduced alertness. Fatigued workers perform poorly, behave carelessly, tolerate greater errors and become inattentive. Chronic fatigue often results in increased stress, which may present itself through certain behavioral and physiological indicators, such as those described below:
Behavioral indicators
• Decreased motivation and low morale
• Increased irritability and depression
Physiological indicators
• Confused, poor problem solving
• Poor abstract thinking
• Poor attention/decisions
• Poor concentration/memory
• Extreme emotional responses
• Social/behavioral changes
Recommendations for chronic fatigue/stress are:
• Take longer periods of rest/recovery
• Ensure that workers are adequately rested before they begin work shifts
• Provide periodic rest breaks to allow physical and mental recovery
• Alternate between heavy and light tasks
• Eat well-balanced meals regularly, with energy supplements during periods of high exertion
• Maintain hydration
• Ensure workers maintain good personal hygiene
• Maintain high standards of physical fitness and work capacity
• In extreme cases, personnel may need to be relieved of their duties

Thanks Pro
appreciate the "reminder"
as if any American can truly forget
where they were that dreadful day.
I was just speaking of this to Skyler.
It was his first week of high school.
The ride down
the radio statement
the chaos.

I remember when I dropped Skyler off at school,
with anxious parents swampping the principal, as
he tried to bring some calm and reason to this
I was struck how life would never be the same again.

I went next door to the coffee house and I remember
walking in - no one had heard the news as of yet
There was a disconnect from what I knew and what
they didn't know.
People were wondering if they should order lattes or
mochas, sesame seed bagels or oat bran muffins
Those where the big issues at the time.

I wanted to scream "WE'VE BEEN ATTACKED" but something
inside of me wanted to hold on to the last bit of
"Americana" I could - people going about their coffee
absorbed day. It would be the last.

I breathed this scene in as far and deep as my lungs could inhale and stored that moment inside my memory bank. Because I knew one day I would have to say
"I remember when....."

Meanwhile, for those who care:
Texas is still on fire
DC 10's are FINALLY flying over MONTGOMERY COUNTY
dousing the flames
No rain
Heat will return next week
OUR HEROES are our firefighters, NWS
other essential workers ....God Bless them
This is our life now...we are under attack by
Mother Nature.

For those on facebook
I do update fire incident reports, etc
evacation and shelter information

Linda I wont mention that La nina is back.

I do have a kind of funny black humor story
of 9/11 - no pun intended.
My theater troupe at this time, was
rehearsing at Houston Community College
a week after this tragedy.

One of my actors, who is AfricanAmerican/blind
was standing outside the theater and pitchin
acorns in a garbage can, the silence, even
a week later was getting to him, and he wanted
to hear sounds. An odd thing to do, but who was
sane those weeks that followed?

Two minutes later, another actor ran in,
screaming "Greg has been arrested"
I ran out to see what was going on, and sure
enough two security guards, (think Barney Fife
on crack) arrested Greg, because a professor,
at HCC, claimed that a "black terrorist in a
white shirt" looking "suspicious" was running in and out of buildings on the campus.

Greg was wearing a white shirt.
I demanded that the bozo cops release him
as "pitchin acorns" was, up to this moment
"not a national crime."

They said that "he met the decription of the terrorist"

I dragged Greg under the street light and said
"Really? If you uncuff him, lets see how he
can run in and out of buildings without his
service dog."

Dang, were they embarrassed. But, like the silence
you experienced there was a loud undertoe ofthe
first wave of freedoms being taken away from us.

Yes, its going to be very hot again.
It will be this way thru November.

Our brave firefighters are finally getting
the upper hand on the Bastrop fire and
also Tri-County fires (Waller/Grimes/Montgomery)
finally.

some people in the tri county area are able
to go back to their homes~prayers go out to them.

Our wx returns to summer time blues
97-104 today - winds gusting 15 mph
lets hope the fires dont re-ignite.

ITs been the Summer of Hell.

LA NINA is back (think Elton John: The Bitch is
Back) and promises to be a cold/dry winter.
*Sigh*

Very little complaints on sheltering
for people w.disabilities.

Perry still withholding rainy day fund money
for the fire victims.

Thats the wrap up.

Thanks MASS I do appreciate your wonderful graphics
and thanks for thinking of me

The Tx Wildfires seem to have calm down
now its the recovery part.
We had a massive fire within the city limits
the other night at George Bush Park
(no comment)
Ironically it was set by a disgruntled
ex-fireman but he's been, thankfully, caught.
The MAYOR of HOUSTON has ushered in a
cigarette ban in all parks - I couldn't be
happier on this one.

Rain, or a whisper of it, is on our NWS lips.
Their radar is down LOL

Thats the Tx update -

LOL Y'all crack me up this Saturday morning
as humidity rises and so does hope for RAIN

Its not like "Mommy do you like me or brother
better" - I have never permanently left my
friends on here (as my cell phone will reflect)
Its just that I can give and get information
out faster on face book and its been
wonderful to connect with disability
organizations for me. Not everyone loves
weather GASP - I dont know how they live or
what the heck they can talk about - wah wah

Everyone has had their own reasons for leaving
the WU - admin never cared - poorly managed
IMHO -or for other reasons .. but hey, Masters is making money
and good for him - its his site. And not even
worth discussing at this point. I have learned a lot on here - both professionally and personally
so it worked out well for me.

I hope that made some sense.

On an up note: we're all praying for the wet stuff
our illustrious NWS has lost its radar and
they know rain is coming but cant tell us when
or who will get hit - So life goes on but the
fires are OUT
WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sending oxoxoxoxo and thanks

Sorry I must be getting old.

Gamma my grandmother used to say
Only boring people are bored

OOPS ......I stopped saying that real fast LOLOL

Yes - a friend just called and said her side of town is getting the good stuff
C'mon RAIN!

Donna - - ironically wu is on
facebook always talking how wonderful they are.
"Trolls sleep here for free" LOL
they certainly dont want my advice
and maybe they dont want to know LOLOL

Well thats the past and yes I still LOVE my
WUBA friends.

LOL how could y'all forget
its talk like a pirate day

Well rain is all over the place
but has somehow eluded us at the bay
HOWEVER more promises for this week
Really, thats ALL I want is rain
nothing else - a deluge of it
wrapped in a bow...

We're up for a cold front this week
I can and will safely say we can put
a fork in our cane season for Texas
a fork in a very dry droughty hard ground.
So much for the gloom and doom predicted
although we have made it to Uh...N
unless I have slept thru other letters.
On one hand I was happy not to have to deal
on the other hand we were dealt some bad
cards. winter will be interesting.

Kat's big day is the 24th
WP Kat and I are beautiful autumn
babes...