Wildfires Burning Outside Austin, Texas

[bostonphil]

Catastrophic wildfires are burning around Austin, Texas.  Hundreds of homes have been lost.  Thousands have been evacuated.  The fires are 0% to 5% contained.  Shelters have been set up for persons, pets and livestock.  I have heard that these fires may burn all week.  I assume that this will be on the national news today.   

[mtmailey]

it seems to me it is judgement days first it is these hurricanes now these wildfires.

[animikokala]

it seems to me it is judgement days first it is these hurricanes now these wildfires.

Hate to break it to you, but wildfires and hurricanes happen every year. 

The reason these wildfires get so "catastrophic" is that prescribed fires cannot be done wherever there are nearby settlements.  This allows so much dry vegetation to build up, that when something starts a fire (be it human or natural), it gets out of control very quickly.  Most of the areas where wildfires occur depend on fire to regulate the ecosystem (for example, some plant seeds won't open unless they've been exposed to fire).  Prescribed wildfires burn at a lower intensity, and would reduce the instance of huge wildfires burning out of control.

Here's a wildfire map:  http://www.smokeybear.com/wildfire-map.asp

[firestorm420]

Catastrophic wildfires are burning around Austin, Texas.  Hundreds of homes have been lost.  Thousands have been evacuated.  The fires are 0% to 5% contained.  Shelters have been set up for persons, pets and livestock.  I have heard that these fires may burn all week.  I assume that this will be on the national news today.   

 
this is the first i am hearing of this.. my sister, brother in law, neice and nephew, as well as some of my brother in laws family lives in a city right by Austin.. matter of fact I am moving there soon as well.. this is not good, im gonna go find an in depth report about the exact location now!

[heartofphila]

They look horrible on tv.  All that smoke must make it hard to breathe for miles away.

[bostonphil]

Over 500 homes have burned in Bastrop alone.  A new wildfire has just erupted in the last hour in Leander and several homes have already been lost.  Twenty-five homes have been lost in Steiner Ranch and 25 more damaged.   I am in Austin and there is no problem with the air that I am aware of but I am certain if you get closer to the fires, the air will be a problem.  The fires are terrible.  They are being described as catastrophic.  The Bastrop fire is 18 miles long.  Check kvue.com if you want to see some pictures. 

[annettefayeroach]

It does seem that Mother Nature is really pissed at America.

[Annella]

It does seem that Mother Nature is really pissed at America.

While some of the disasters we have seen could be called natural, we can all agree that the frequency and force of which they are all occurring is not natural. Places that have never had tornadoes, hurricanes, etc., are happening. Earthquakes in places that don't have earthquakes. If you read your Bible, these are some of the signs of the end time.

America has slowly but surely turned her back on the very principles she was founded on. We have taken God out of everything. There are movements to make sure nothing of God remains. You can pick up the paper and read everyday some upheaval about scripture on a building, or prayer in schools, lets take out "under God", or "In God We Trust". Little by little, adopting laws and compromises that are totally against the Bible. What do we expect? Do you think we will escape the judgement that other Nations have experienced because they shunned God? What makes us untouchable if we do the same? If we are a Nation that wants to forget God, then he will forget us.

There are many that mock and berate everybody that is a Christian. Don't they realize that they are the very ones who pray for our Nation's healing. What is going to happen when they get fed up and don't pray for anything except to go home? In "Revelations" it says, when the saints pray for the Lord to come, then He will come. I'm a Minister and I can tell you that many Christians are praying this prayer now. They are tired of fighting and praying for a Nation that does not want God and hates his children.

[bowrunner]

Tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and wildfires have always happened and they are going to keep on happening.  Sometimes they will be where they haven't been in recent memory or perhaps where they haven't been before but it doesn't mean the end of the world.  It's just nature!!!

[firestorm420]

Tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and wildfires have always happened and they are going to keep on happening.  Sometimes they will be where they haven't been in recent memory or perhaps where they haven't been before but it doesn't mean the end of the world.  It's just nature!!!

your probably right. but everything comes to an end at somepoint. even stars die.. everything dies nothing is immortal that can be physicaly seen. the world might not end soon or maybe it will, but its ignorant to think it will never happen (not as in the WHOLE planet being gone, but unable to suport human life). sure you can think well not in my life time.. well everyday people die from car crashes or other accidents, ect that they said "well that wont ever happen to me, no not me"

we, humans, are the equivilent of cancer for the earth. we chop down tons of plants, we drain all the natural resources, we pollute the air and destroy the protective ozone layer little by little, we  kill off entire species of wildlife which affects whole ecosystems, and ect ect.. and the sheer # of humans is growing every year, meaning this "killing" of the planet just keeps increasing all the time.. WE will probably be the reason that human life comes to an end, whenever that may happen, unless we get our act together and fast and it may already be too late

[firestorm420]

whoops, got a little off topic there sorry..

i have family in Pflugerville just north of Austin and the fires arent quite to were they live, but they are very close and its scary because it all depends on were the wind blows! ahh its insane! hopefully these fires will not claim more homes and lives and will blow away from populated areas n die out / get contained / put out!

btw, those talking about the air, my sister has told me that the only issue with the air is its flaring up her allergies pretty bad.

Anyone wondering the origin of these fires, all i know is alot of mid/southern Texas (not sure bout north) has had one of the worst droughts in its history! thus the fires. were I live, by Houston, they have enforced strict, highest level water restrictions.. if you get caught washing your car, watering the grass, ect, not at the designated time, it is a class C misdemeanor and possible $500 fine! CraZy!!

[Annella]

Tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and wildfires have always happened and they are going to keep on happening.  Sometimes they will be where they haven't been in recent memory or perhaps where they haven't been before but it doesn't mean the end of the world.  It's just nature!!!

I have heard your reasoning allot. However, you would have to know the Bible to see the correlation to the strange patterns taking place (not just the weather), and what the Word says about it. It's a choice to believe it or not. Truth is, I never thought I'd see some things taking place today while I'm still alive. It's later than we think.

However, I understand the desire to remain in denial. It's much safer than admitting that we brought this upon ourselves.

For Firestorm420: I pray for your family and friends in Texas.

[harleyy2]

When i was down there I believe the "legal" time to use your hose was Tuesdays and Fridays?  Sound right?

whoops, got a little off topic there sorry..

i have family in Pflugerville just north of Austin and the fires arent quite to were they live, but they are very close and its scary because it all depends on were the wind blows! ahh its insane! hopefully these fires will not claim more homes and lives and will blow away from populated areas n die out / get contained / put out!

btw, those talking about the air, my sister has told me that the only issue with the air is its flaring up her allergies pretty bad.

Anyone wondering the origin of these fires, all i know is alot of mid/southern Texas (not sure bout north) has had one of the worst droughts in its history! thus the fires. were I live, by Houston, they have enforced strict, highest level water restrictions.. if you get caught washing your car, watering the grass, ect, not at the designated time, it is a class C misdemeanor and possible $500 fine! CraZy!!

[bostonphil]

We are having a news conference about the fires right now.  Almost 600 homes have now been destroyed in Bastrop and 30,000 acres burned. This wildfire is still out of control.  The other fires in Central Texas are getting contained but still burn on.

[vmcutshall]

I live in the north west and we have wild fires every year. Some years are worse than others. I used to live in Oklahoma and the dry weather down there doesn't help the vegetation out. I hope they get it under control. We have been breathing smoke and ash for 2 weeks now.