Grass fires!

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, it had to happen sooner or later with the drought we are having in North Central Texas. I live on the west side of Fort Worth, about 1 mile east of where I-30 and I-20 join, and pretty close to half way between them distance wise. This afternoon while working in the shop on my lighting, I started smelling smoke. I remember thinking, surely no one is stupid enough to be burning trash today with the winds we are having. Evidently just west of us there is a big grass fire. My guess is that it's been burning for 7 hours or so now. Some of the firetrucks are on my culdesac, and I can see the smoke, so the fire must be getting close to us. A Red Cross volunteer is setting up on one side of my circle driveway to hand out water and ice to the firefighters. Wish I knew how to help them. Offered to the volunteer anything I could do to help to come knock on the front door, and left the lights on. The winds are blowing north to south as a cold front just came through about 3 hours ago. Hope they can get this thing under control. I'd hate to think about having to pack up 8 Irish Setters and find a place to stay in the middle of the night. :eek: :eek: :D
Think good thoughts for the guys and gals fighting this thing that they stay safe. Jim

[Tyler Howell]

Our prayers are with you Jim!:o

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks, Tyler.
Wellllllll. Right after I posted we got a knock on the front door. Deputy said the Fire Marshall was a little worried at that point, not a mandatory evacuation yet, but if we were wanting to go, it wouldn't be a bad idea. :eek: :eek: :eek:
So I spent the last 45 minutes getting crates set up in both vans so we could secure all 8 dogs if we need to get out, water and food for the dogs as well as sodas for me, and some clothes for both of us. The Red Cross volunteer came in to use the facilities while I was loading the vans and said they thought they had most of it close to being contained. But with the winds we are having (up to 50 mph gusts he said at another fire today) you just never know. LOML said she won't rest until all the firetrucks leave. :D
Three trucks just came out of the fields south of the house. I guess one of them was lost as he went off the trail and drove right through middle of my neighbor's front lawn to get to their driveway to get out into the street. :confused:
I can tell I'm going to be in great shape for work tomorrow. Just hope I don't have to try to find a motel that will take 2 people and 8 dogs. :rolleyes: Jim.

[Bruce Page]

Just hope I don't have to try to find a motel that will take 2 people and 8 dogs. :rolleyes: Jim.
Jim, I pray that it dosen't come to that, but do what you have to do to keep all safe!

[Dan Forman]

Jim---Good luck, hope you won't have to evacuate.

Dan

[Vaughn McMillan]

Jim, I'm hoping that by the time I'm posting this the firefighters have everything under control and no damage was done. I can understand why LOYL wasn't going to rest until the fire trucks left (assuming they have by now). I'd be pretty antsy myself. ;)

- Vaughn

[Martin Shupe]

The morning news says the fires are out.

Jim, I hope you didn't have to relocate, even temporarily.

The western portion of the DFW is in a severe drought. They said we are 13 inches behind in rainfall, and we have had no measureable rain at my house (SW of Ft. Worth) since last June. People were actually hoping that one of the hurricanes would park itself over us for a couple days, but it didn't happen.

[Greg Heppeard]

Good luck to you Jim. I hope all goes well. As of last night, we had grass fires up here. They evacuated parts of Sand Springs and some places east of here. Maybe it will rain today for both of us.

[Joe Blankshain]

Jim,

Hope all went well through the night and that your wife, the dogs and you are safely tucked in. Our prayers are with you as fire is nothing to mess around with, as most have seen from the fires in Arizona and California in recent times.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim..........I'm with the others..........hope you didn't have to relocate. We're thinking about you, the LOYL and the dogs!


Martin...........we don't get 13" of moisture a year..........Just 12" total........little wonder we start irrigating our lawns in May or they go dormant by the end of June!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Jim,

I hope that this turned out okay for you!! Finding a place to stay may have been trouble some but just go to a motel and get two rooms... 4 dogs in each! :)

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks all! Just after 11:00 I went out and talked with the Red Cross volunteer. He said it was mostly contained, but that the big tank truck parked in front of my house with the lights going would stay for a few hours. Glad the master suite is at the back of the house! :D :D Still don't know how close it got to us.
Martin, I'm like you...nothing since May or June. Mary's Creek is at the back edge of my property, and it hasn't flowed since June.
Jeff, that was the plan. The thought of having to do it was compounded by the fact that we have our youngest girl in season, and are having to keep the 2 intact boys seperated like it is. Makes life fun in the best of times.
So all is clear. I understand that about 500 acres burned in just this fire. Jim