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Wind Fuels Grass Fires in Okla.
Associated Press ^ | Dec 27, 2005 | TIM TALLEY

Posted on 12/27/2005 2:14:07 PM PST by indcons

MUSTANG, Okla. Dec 27, 2005 — Grass fires driven by gusty wind damaged several homes in Oklahoma and threatened others in North Texas on Tuesday. Three Oklahomans suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

The biggest fire burned at least a square mile in a rural area near the town of Mustang, southwest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. He said he did not know exactly how many homes were damaged there. One civilian suffered minor injuries.

TV station helicopter footage showed at least a half-dozen structures were burned in Mustang, but conditions appeared to improve by late afternoon.

"Everybody is out now watering their yards and standing in their yards," said Harold Percival, who lives about a mile from the Mustang fire.

Several other grass fires were brought under control in three areas of Oklahoma City. One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and a child suffered minor burns on his hands when a shed caught fire.

In Texas, Fort Worth Fire Department Lt. Kent Worley said crews had fought nine brush fires within city limits during the first half of the day and he expected more. His department also helped battle a blaze in nearby Kennedale. The Dallas Morning News said flames in Kennedale threatened two apartment complex.

There were no immediate reports of injuries in Texas.

The cause of the Oklahoma blazes was under investigation, but officials said sparks from power lines were one possibility.

The wind in Oklahoma was clocked at 25 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Oklahoma; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: grassfires; wildfires
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To: Army Air Corps; indcons
I've stood in my backyard before and been able to see tumbleweeds over my 6 foot fence rolling down the alley. Meanwhile, look at this: (and note that the seller's name is a form of RedRaider and that he's in Electra which is not far from where the fires are. Also, "shipping insurance" is for $25 LOL) I've heard of these selling for more than $25 on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-1-2-Foot-Texas-Tumbleweed_W0QQitemZ5650018349QQcategoryZ88433QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

3 1/2 Foot Texas Tumbleweed

Item number: 5650018349
Seller of this item? Sign in for your status   Watch this item in My eBay | Email to a friend
 
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Starting bid: US $5.99  
 
 
 
Time left: 3 days 19 hours
5-day listing, Ends Dec-31-05 13:40:42 PST
Start time: Dec-26-05 13:40:42 PST
History: 0 bids
Item location: Electra, TX
United States
 
Ships to: United States
Shipping costs: US $50.00 -- UPS Ground
 Go down Shipping, payment details and return policy
Seller information
red99raider ( 21Feedback score is 10 to 49)
Feedback Score: 21
Positive Feedback: 95.7%
Member since May-10-02 in United States
Registered as a private seller
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81 posted on 12/27/2005 6:28:05 PM PST by hispanarepublicana (Chuck Cooperstein is a tool.)
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To: 76834
As far as I know no one has blamed FEMA for not putting the fires out.

Yes, and as far as I know, the fires aren't because the Cross Plains citizens got angry over a six-man football game and torched their own neighborhoods......

82 posted on 12/27/2005 6:29:56 PM PST by hispanarepublicana (Chuck Cooperstein is a tool.)
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To: hispanarepublicana
If that EBay posting gets even a fraction of the starting bid, I could become a zillionaire - quicklike.

We had tons of rain here in our California desert this past winter, spring and fall, and those buggers are just now ripened up and ready to rip.....millions of 'em.

83 posted on 12/27/2005 6:32:32 PM PST by ErnBatavia (I post in slang..live with it or ignore it - reader's choice.)
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To: hispanarepublicana

Right

Here's something that I think is neat.

A Winters fire truck, next county west of ours, blew a tire.
Local folks called a tire store after hours and they are fixing it right now.
Trucks need fuel taken care of the same way.
Local contractors are hauling in bulldozers on their own dime.

Am very proud of Coleman and other area counties right now.
We dont need no damm FEMA

A whole community effort is involved in getting this thing under control.

Makes you proud to be a Texan


84 posted on 12/27/2005 6:35:44 PM PST by 76834 (There's nothing wrong with sobriety in moderation.)
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To: 76834; JFC

I'll bet you'll have more than just Winters FD there by morning.....is there anything we up here on the Llano Estacado can do/send?


85 posted on 12/27/2005 6:59:03 PM PST by hispanarepublicana (Chuck Cooperstein is a tool.)
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To: hispanarepublicana

You betcha

Keep us in your prayers.


86 posted on 12/27/2005 7:01:03 PM PST by 76834 (There's nothing wrong with sobriety in moderation.)
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To: hispanarepublicana

We used to spray snow on those tumbleweeds and hang ornaments on them. Made for interesting Christmas decor.


87 posted on 12/27/2005 7:21:13 PM PST by daybreakcoming (May God bless those who enter the valley of the shadow of death so that we may see the light of day.)
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To: Diddle E. Squat

oh, those red fags!


88 posted on 12/27/2005 7:24:52 PM PST by Honeybunch ("Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." ~Rudyard Kipling)
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To: tuffydoodle

". . .they found another genius shooting off fireworks."

As much as we hate that fireworks are banned here in Arizona,
it's for precisely this reason. AND, we have our share of dummies, too.


89 posted on 12/27/2005 8:13:17 PM PST by righttackle44 (The most dangerous weapon in the world is a Marine with his rifle and the American people behind him)
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To: Jedidah

"All Freepers, please pray for rain for us."

Just enough rain, Lord, to break the dry
spell, please, but not enough to cause flooding.
We pray this is Jesus' name. So be it. Amen.


90 posted on 12/27/2005 8:15:39 PM PST by righttackle44 (The most dangerous weapon in the world is a Marine with his rifle and the American people behind him)
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To: indcons

I just read where some of the fires in OK were caused by kids and fireworks, a deadly combination when, as one fire official put it, "it is critically dry here now".

Duh...how about BANNING fireworks like we do in Florida during droughts?


91 posted on 12/27/2005 8:20:53 PM PST by goresalooza (Nurses Rock!)
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To: indcons

Oh my...and I forgot..prayers up for all in TX and OK who are affected. God help them all.


92 posted on 12/27/2005 8:26:33 PM PST by goresalooza (Nurses Rock!)
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To: daybreakcoming

When I lived in California, we would spray tumbleweeds white and pile three together to make snowmen.


93 posted on 12/27/2005 9:09:34 PM PST by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: righttackle44

Hard to believe, as dry as it is here, that someone would think shooting off fireworks would be a good idea. It's like a tinderbox here and has been since May.

I love Arizona, Flagstaff is my favorite. My grandparents lived in California and, I'm going to show my age here, we used to drive there on Route 66. We would go in July and it was always rainy and cool in Flagstaff. Then of course we'd hit the desert and it would be 120.


94 posted on 12/28/2005 4:49:34 AM PST by tuffydoodle (Shut up voices, or I'll poke you with a Q-Tip again.)
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To: Clara Lou

Actually, this is the time of year that farmers burn the prairie... happens every year. My husband was out doing it yesterday here in Eastern Kansas but no wind and slightly damp ground and about twenty people kept it under control.


95 posted on 12/28/2005 5:21:48 AM PST by Mercat (Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year, oh, and Happy Holy Days)
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To: mariabush

Snowmen. Cool idea. Tumbleweeds also make the best forts. Wonder if kids today still do that........


96 posted on 12/28/2005 5:34:20 AM PST by daybreakcoming (May God bless those who enter the valley of the shadow of death so that we may see the light of day.)
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To: daybreakcoming
We live in Tenn., and our grandchildren had never seen a tumbleweed, so when we went to West Texas, we loaded the back of the truck full. They had the best time with those crazy things that we always thought were a bother..
97 posted on 12/28/2005 7:23:34 AM PST by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
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To: hispanarepublicana

No fires here in W.T. We have had windy days. They are saying no rain through the first of the year and predicting strong above average temps through Feb.

No fun out here when the sand blows. We NEED RAIN.


98 posted on 12/28/2005 10:32:08 AM PST by JFC (W, I am with YA)
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To: 2Jedismom

We watched a fire move severalmiles while hiking south of Muskogee yesterday. There is smoke in the air here today and it reeks of burnt grass...


99 posted on 01/02/2006 2:11:22 PM PST by groovejedi
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To: groovejedi; PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain; OKSooner; PhiKapMom; indcons

We drove by the 111th and Hwy 75 fire location yesterday. Unbelievable.

It's supposed to be worse today, from what I understand...low humidity and gusty winds.

My disaster relief trip to New Orleans was canceled for this week...I'm hoping they'll need me in Shawnee...they're setting up a feeding unit for the firefighters local and out of state.

My internet is out at home and I don't have access to my ping list. Supposed to be fixed soon and I'll ping asap.


100 posted on 01/03/2006 10:01:46 AM PST by 2Jedismom (Expect me when you see me!)
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