I couldn't find a map of the wildfires online, so I had to resort to making one myself. This is a VERY APPROXIMATE map based on the loose descriptions of fire locations from YNN, KXAN, Statesman, Elgin Courier, &c., &c.
At present, as you can see, Elgin is in a safe patch. Fingers crossed that we stay this way, what with the winds and lack of humidity. My inlaws were coincidentally in the area at the time and had to evacuate, so we're now running a tiny, one-family refugee camp. Everyone's fine--not even the dogs are singed. I wish I could say the same for everyone else in Central Texas. First reports are saying that several hundred homes in Bastrop Co. alone have been lost, and the firefighters aren't even trying to fight it--they're just focused on evacuations.
Glad to here you guys are safe for now but I would keep a weather eye out. It has been very smoky here for days from the fire at Fort Hood and that is over fifty miles away. I went up the big hill by the house and could see smoke from four fires. This heat and drought is just crazy. It's like we are jinxed.
ReplyDeleteHere's a Wunderground map (sorry for the incredibly humongous URL) that has been going around. It includes smoke drift and is supposed to be real-time: http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/?lat=30.23534&lon=-97.71240&zoom=7&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&dd=0&tfk=0&ski=0&stormreports=0
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, Bob! Four fires!?! How awful. By Tue, it looked like the entire state was on fire. I was finally alarmed into prepping an emergency bag for us and the cats, just in case.
ReplyDeleteNot to be the croaking raven of doom, but I imagine you heard that that detestable La Niña is back. I'm starting to wonder if it will ever rain again.
Thanks for the link, Kate! I came across an interesting one today--the smoke is visible from space.
Between fires and festivals I'm just now catching up on your blog. Being part of the in-law group, I want to say thank you for the family refugee camp. Turned out the fire was only about 2 1/2 miles from our week-end hideout. If I had known that at the time I would probably have been REALLY freaking out. Again, thank you for the sanctuary during the evacuation.
ReplyDeleteLadonna
Our pleasure, Ladonna. I'm just glad you and your place came through unscathed!
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