The numbers are staggering and changing so fast that authorities can barely keep track of the changes. The Bastrop County, Texas fire that began on Sunday afternoon has burned some 52 square miles, nearly twice the size of the island of Manhattan. At least six hundred homes, and two lives, have been lost to this one fire alone. Statewide, four have died since Sunday.
The Texas Forest Service reports that from August 30 to September 5, they responded to 181 fires that burned 185 square miles of land. When fires fought by local fire departments are included, that number increases to 336 fires in seven days. In 2011, all of the fire fighting agencies in Texas combined have fought over 18,719 fires, 2,897 structures have been destroyed and over 5,522 square miles of land has been burned. That area is equivalent to the size of the State of Connecticut.
Texas Task Force One has been ordered to deploy to the Bastrop fire by Governor Rick Perry. TF1 is one of the top search and rescue teams in the world. Due to the speed of the fire’s spread, officials are concerned about the possibility that people were trapped. About 100 Task Force members and a dozen search dogs are expected to arrive by Wednesday, September 7.
Governor Perry toured the Bastrop area on Monday and flew over the Steiner Ranch fire just west of Austin on Tuesday. The Governor continues to ask President Obama for a Major Disaster declaration due to the thousands of wildfires experienced by Texas this year. The Governor’s Office reports:
“Gov. Perry has reissued his disaster proclamation nine times this wildfire season; it was originally issued on Dec. 21, 2010.”
“In addition to the state proclamations in April, the governor sent a letter to President Obama requesting a Major Disaster Declaration, which would have made the state eligible for Direct Federal Assistance and Emergency Protective Measures from the federal government. The Obama Administration denied this request on May 3. Gov. Perry appealed the president’s decision on May 26, and received partial approval of relief on July 1. A request to expand the scope of federal relief is still pending.”
The weather forecast for Texas offers little hope. While winds will drop, there is no rain in the immediate future and the exceptional drought conditions will continue. The fire conditions will remain fluid and the threat intense until the state sees significant rain.