[candymosh]

Posted: Monday, June 20, 2011 8:00 am | Updated: 10:17 am, Mon Jun 20, 2011.

Associated Press | 0 comments

About 300 East Texas residents have been evacuated to escape a wildfire blamed on hunters doing target practice.

Billy Ted Smith, who's emergency management coordinator for Jasper, Newton and Sabine (suh-BEEN') counties, says residents who evacuated Sunday could be allowed to return later Monday.

Smith told The Associated Press that eight camp houses have been destroyed in the 3,500 acre fire that began Saturday. The wildfire is 30 percent contained.

Smith says the fire was apparently started by hunters shooting at old butane tanks for target practice, with the bullet sparks causing the wildfire.

No injuries have been reported.

Smith says a park road in Jasper County, between Sam Rayburn Reservoir and the Toledo Bend Dam, is closed.

The Texas Department of Transportation had no major highway closures Monday.























Fucking idiots. Who shoots at a butane tank during a burn ban and mega drought?

They need to just ban all activities that involve fire or things that can cause a spark because obviously the inbreds here have no common sense.

[candymosh]

Wildfires Throughout Southeast Texas

Updated: Monday, 20 Jun 2011, 10:10 AM CDT
Published : Monday, 20 Jun 2011, 8:24 AM CDT

GROVETON, Texas (AP) - One of the largest wildfires in east Texas history is causing trouble for firefighters and residents in an area stretching from Trinity County north to Polk County.

More than 16,000 acres have burned is what has been named the Bearing Fire. Roads were closed in the Livingston area with a command center located at Centerville Elementary School northeast of Groveton.

Twelve fire departments are working to put an end to the Bearing Fire with ten Texas Forest Service bulldozers and four helicopters among the resources available to them. More than 20 homes have been evacuated near the fire.

The Trinity County Judge told FOX 26 News the fire is up to 40 percent contained.

Officials are concerned about the town of Apple Springs, located between the Davy Crockett National Forest and the Angelina County Airport. Apple Springs is southwest of Lufkin.

Another wildfire in Grimes County has left white smoke wafting near Navasota and threatening homes. Area residents have been evacauated from their homes and moved to the Texas Renaissance Fair grounds in Plantersville.

More than 3,600 acres have been scorched by the Grimes County fire and and the county emergency manager has confirmed 30 structures have been damaged or destroyed, including homes.

Grimes County residents are also expressing concerns about livestock which has been unaccounted for.

More than 60 firefighting units are working toward containing the fire with the focus on saving lives. They are attacking hot spots that could flare up.

Grimes County emergency management staff tell FOX 26 News the wildfire appears to be contained along FM 105, but were waiting to confirm that at dusk.

A third wildfire in Walker County appears to be self-contained with more than 2,000 acres burned. Lanes of Interstate 45 were closed Sunday northbound and southbound between Huntsville and Madisonville.

Almost 200 homes were evacuated from the town of Midway.

Hot temperatures and winds from the south are expected to challenge crews battling the east Texas wildfires.

Temperatures reached around 100 degrees in the area Sunday, with winds of 20 mph and strong gusts. Similar conditions are expected Monday.

In Central Texas, at least seven mobile homes were burned in Kendall County.

[Zodiak]

I live a few counties away. The weather has been hellishly hot. There are all types of bans and restrictions due to the lack of rain. Those people should know better. People are getting fined $500 for flicking cigarette butts in the street. The heat is horrible.

[candymosh]

Yeah...it's really bad. I just wonder what the 4th is going to bring. I know that even though they are telling us NO fireworks, there will still be dumbasses popping them.

[Zodiak]

I don't doubt it. I know here in town some people are going to protest the ban. Waste of time if you ask me. But the last thing this city needs is a wildfire. There are also.small grass fires in houston as well. Id say its a matter of time before theres a fire here.

[candymosh]

yeah...I wish them luck with their protest I doubt they are going to get any where with that since the whole State is damn near ready to catch at any moment.

Ah well....here's hoping to the rain the weatherman says might come this way

[Zodiak]

The ever elusive rain clouds. Don't know how many days I've seen in a row with an empty radar. Rain at this point wouldn't do much. Personally I'm lookin forward to hurricane season. Hopefully we can catch a small depression or some rain bands. All the grass is dead and a lot of freaky bugs have invaded the complex where i live.