Sunday, April 10, 2011

SW Texas is on fire...

75 miles northwest of TFL a wildfire started yesterday just west of Marfa...it's been burning out of control for over 30 hours, fanned by high winds out of the south.  Over 50 structures destroyed in the Ft. Davis area.  Lots of livestock caught in the path of the flames as they raced through the dried grass plains. (photo: Alberto Halpern)  http://bigbendnow.com/2011/04/4705/  81,97,68,0,W
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The wheather this spring has been a little nuts. In South Texas we have been having strong winds out of the south (40 mph+) everyday since Thursday.
Im sure the large wind turbine farms on King Ranch, San Patricio county elsewhere are spinning like pinwheels in a hurricane.

April 11, 2011 at 2:58 AM
Darin said...

Actually, the big windmills feather the blades to reduce rotational speed in high winds, or even feather them completely flat to stop them from spinning at all.

April 11, 2011 at 6:32 AM
Unknown said...

The news we get in the metroplex do not give enough detail about the fires at Fort Davis. What about the McDonald Planetarium and the "village" that has grown up around it? And the vintage structures within Fort Davis? Tell us the details if you know them.

April 11, 2011 at 7:14 AM
Quixote Kid said...

Here's a decent article from NPR on the wildfires in Texas (west and northwest):
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/10/135298674/firefighters-battle-wildfires-across-west-texas

As a "Quixote Kid" and working with water pumping windmills, I agree both water and wind generating windmills have some mechanism to make them furl and slow down in the wind. Some of the cheaper wind generators kits made for homes do not have a very good furling mechanism and that is what makes them blow them selves to bits.

Q-Kid

April 11, 2011 at 9:51 AM
jand44 said...

I heard fence lines were being cur to allow livestock and wildlife to escape the flames.

Hope the TFL, Benita, and all your friends stay safe!

April 11, 2011 at 11:20 AM
leilani said...

Brenda, the Observatory is okay (as of now) but phones & power have been out since Sat & it's been evacuated. The scopes are all buttoned up to protect from smoke damage. So far as I know, Indian Lodge has not been hit, nor has the Fort or downtown FD.The fire swept up the south end of Front St, but I think the wind may have changed just in time to avert the Courthouse/historic area. The old McKnight Mansion evidently burned, though, according to the son.

There are a couple of smaller fires (of different origin) currently burning near Alpine.

Windy + dry= very scary conditions across the state.

April 11, 2011 at 6:02 PM
Petex said...

Nice blog!
Greetings from Finland we just read your story from our main newspaper.

April 17, 2011 at 2:31 AM
satkero said...

Really fantastic blog! I read your story from Helsingin Sanomat, I have to say, I envy you

April 17, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Unknown said...

JUST READ YOUR STORY. I'M IMPRESSED!

April 17, 2011 at 2:03 PM

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