Posted on 09/04/2011 5:46:33 PM PDT by grey_whiskers
UPDATE 7:30 P.M.: Mark Stanford, the fire chief for the Texas Forest Service , said subdivisions have been evacuated there but they have no estimate on what structures have been lost.
People are being told to evacuate to the First Baptist Church in Smithville and Bastrop Middle School, Stanford said.
In addition, State Highways 71 and 21 in Bastrop County have been closed, Stanford said.
Update, 6:48 p.m.: Wildfires have consumed more than 6,000 acres in Bastrop County, and firefighters are still working to get the blazes under control.
According to Bastrop Police Department Spokesman Michal Hubbard, hundreds of homes have been evacuated, including those at the Colony, west of the city of Bastrop, and Tahitian Village to the east. Several structures have been lost, he said
(Excerpt) Read more at statesman.com ...
Who is ‘they?”
The Blaze is Glenn Beck’s news site, and it reports the news.
We had a front come through last night here in Lubbock - got some scattered showers but the temps have been in the 60’s today. Hope it gets to you soon.
We were at 105.
If Perry is smart he will go home tomorrow. If he is a politician he will go home after the Wed. debates.
We’ve had around that temp for months too - got to 112 at one time in June. Fortunately, ours is a dry climate. The last week has been in the upper 90’s. This is the first real cool front we have had, and they always come from the north.
Hope you and others south of us get some relief soon - hopefully from this front.
I continue always to pray for rain for all our state.
“I think a state has to ask for federal assistance,”
I think something like this happened in Katrina, Bush was slow in reacting because the Democrat gov. of LA was slow in asking. Of course it didn’t help that Brown knew nothing about emergency work. Now why would Perry want to give Obama a chance to look good in Texas??
Whether Bush or Obama, it doesn’t make sense to go when the emergency workers are in the midst of restoring electricity, rescuing people, waiting for flooded roads to clear and repairing roads. They have enough to worry about besides having to deal with President, press, secret service and a host of others. The important thing is to have competent FEMA and other emergency people responding promptly and helpfully.
Wildfire is a terrible enemy. I read a book about the great Peshtigo, Wisconsin fire many years ago. Almost 2,000 people were burned to death. Almost nobody knows about this disasterous drought caused forest fire firestorm because it happened the same day as the famous Chicago fire.
I think the governor could not get home and his wife did a valient job of mobilizing all possible help and rescue efforts.
See my Comment #168. Wisconsin knows about wildfires.
Authorities say high winds caused by Tropical Storm Lee are partly to blame for the wildfires that continued to ravage parts of East and Central Texas Sunday. Among the areas hardest hit was Bastrop County just southeast of Austin, where more than 6,000 acres were scorched.
Oh really?.... Well you can’t stop hurricanes or tornadoes either yet their Govenors were quick to make a statement to the people at least....same with flooding...and it was reported the Govenors would be making statements.
So the best thing Perry could do is likewise....the perception isn’t good for him otherwise. I’ve not heard a whimper...maybe tomorrow.
I know... I grew up there. Then came west, to fire country.
YES!! I stand in agreement with you!
Sounds like they do know what to do. I was really impressed and thankful when I learned what Walker had done.
Where I live there are mostly grass fires and we’ve had some bad ones. The drought has been horrendous this year.
My son and grandson got caught on the highway in a bad grass fire and from the smoke inhalation, my grandson got pneumonia the next day.
Just so many dangers from this drought and fires.
Bush was slow in reacting
~~~~~
Beg to differ. The sovereignty of any state cannot be breached by the Feds unless the governor requests federal help, which Blank-0 was urged to do before Katrina hit, even personally by Pres. Bush, I believe.
But no .. she played politics, aided and egged on by her Rat buddies, including allegedly Hillary, delaying and objecting to giving up control of the LA Nat’l Guard, which has to be done in such emergencies when Fed help is requested.
And it was all partisan politics, designed to make Pres. Bush look bad .. that’s how twisted Rats all are.
That turned out great, huh?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/04/AR2005120400963.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1477162/posts
~~~~~
Thus began what one aide called a “full-court press” to compel the first-term governor to yield control of her state National Guard — a legal, political and personal campaign by White House staff that failed three days later when Blanco rejected the administration’s terms, 10 minutes before Bush was to announce them in a Rose Garden news conference, the governor’s aides said.
Blanco’s intransigence may have caused untold damage, given the manifest inadequacies of Louisiana’s state and local governments.
Thinking about all the good people facing this danger and those fighting to stop the fire and helping out best they can.
God bless.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2769676/posts?page=49#44
Your post about Texans
Your prayers are appreciated, though...Our firefighters are exhausted ..I am praying for their safety and strength and for all in harm’s way.
God love you Texans.
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.