Burning Texas

Texas has had record heat and record drought this year. Last week tropical storm Lee failed to bring rain but it did bring wind and suddenly Texas was engulfed in an inferno. Tens of thousands of acres burned and over a thousand homes were destroyed. Where there were woods there were fires.

I live surrounded by woods.

Luckily the nearest fire was stopped at the banks of Spring Creek approximately 1 mile from our neighborhood. This was a small fire and only took two days to control but it did fill our neighborhood with smoke. Once it was out I was able to get a few picture.

Burned undergrowth but the fire didn't reach the crowns of the trees.


The fire caused weird sinkholes throughout the forest. I have no idea why.


The worse fire was in nearby Magnolia, TX and was only a few miles from where I work. For three days we watched the billowing clouds of smoke to the northwest.

Crappy cellphone picture of billowing clouds of smoke.


Another cell phone picture of the smoke.


The sun through the smoke.


The fire-fighting helicopter. Its "bucket" seemed very small.


Several friends and coworkers lost their houses in the Magnolia fire so if you want to donate to the Red Cross to help these victims of the Texas fires I'd be most thankful.

Adventure! Excitement! Burned!