Baymule’s Journal

[Baymule]

That fire was less than a mile away. If it had gotten in the forest, well let’s just say my house sits less than 20’ from the woods. The metal roof would’ve helped, but this double wide is wrapped in vinyl siding.

I called a number after 5:00 on my jury summons. Trial has been cancelled. Then I got to looking at the summons. Heck, it’s for Houston County, the next county over. I live in Trinity County. My mailing address is a town in Houston County. Oh goody! Now I’ll get jury summons from both counties!

 

[Mike CHS]

That fire would have scared anybody or at least should have and I'm glad it worked out.

 

[Baymule]

That fire would have scared anybody or at least should have and I'm glad it worked out.

I wasn’t scared. I went about getting prepared to evacuate. I knew I might lose my house, and I was ok with that. It’s just stuff, my stuff and a lot of it means so much to me, but my life, sheep and dogs mean more. I was going to turn the horse loose.

I put BJs box in the truck too. Hey! He’s still out there! I think I’ll leave him there, he might enjoy a night in his truck.

 

[Baymule]

@Ridgetop and her DH told me if I had to leave, come to their ranch. They just got 15 acres fenced in high wire fence, sheep and dogs would be fine. I appreciated that so much, my animals would be safe there. That meant a lot.

 

[Devonviolet]

@Ridgetop and her DH told me if I had to leave, come to their ranch. They just got 15 acres fenced in high wire fence, sheep and dogs would be fine. I appreciated that so much, my animals would be safe there. That meant a lot.

WOW! That was SO nice of @Ridgetop!!!

 

[SageHill]

That fire was less than a mile away. If it had gotten in the forest, well let’s just say my house sits less than 20’ from the woods. The metal roof would’ve helped, but this double wide is wrapped in vinyl siding.

I called a number after 5:00 on my jury summons. Trial has been cancelled. Then I got to looking at the summons. Heck, it’s for Houston County, the next county over. I live in Trinity County. My mailing address is a town in Houston County. Oh goody! Now I’ll get jury summons from both counties!

Eeee yikes less than a mile is nothing!!
Heck my mailbox is a mile away. Sooo glad it’s out (down to hot spots to be watched). Living in the land of fire we have an evac list. Important stuff on the top in order. And there’s a bolt cutter in the primary vehicle for chains and locked gates.

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm not in a "land of fire"...there are a lot of rivers to help break things up, but could happen! Crop lands provide challenges, depending on time of year -- growing or fallow. That river rose some 30' in a hurricane in 1999 and flooded an entire town. I'm not that close to it and I'm the highest spot on my road. But, couldn't get past roads flooded out on 3 exits. Stuck at home.

Fire is scary, unpredictable, fast.....I'm glad they got it out before it got to you.

 

[Baymule]

In 2011 and 2012 we had such a horrible drought that trees died. In June of 2011, was the biggest fire in east Texas history, right here in Trinity County. Over 23,000 acres burned. To the credit of the many firefighters from all over Texas, no homes were lost. Hunting cabins burned and 2 abandoned homes, but not one home burned. It was called The Bearing Fire. A 18 wheeler truck wheel bearing caught fire, the trucker stopped and that started the whole thing. After the fire, we drove through the area, it was total devastation.

East Texas is Pine forest for lumber industry. I live in the Piney Woods. Cleared land is in pasture for mainly cattle and hay. I live in cattle country. Drought hits hard.

Normally east Texas is green, lush grasslands and forests. My fields are brown. It’s so hot that I make sure to be home in the afternoons, to care for my animals. I make short trips for groceries or to the post office and that’s all. Home by 12 noon or earlier.

 

[canesisters]

FIRE! Fire on my road today. A tractor caught on fire, caught the field on fire. Field surrounded by forest, that come right up against my house. I loaded a few valuables in the truck, couple changes of clothes. Have trailer hitched, backed up to chute for loading sheep. Plan was to load as many as I could, grab dogs and make a run for it. Leaving truck and trailer there tonight and tomorrow.

And I have jury duty tomorrow.

Terrifying...

I'm glad that it was out quickly. Did it spread far or cause very much damage?

 

[farmerjan]

Trusting the farmer got off and away from the tractor... see he was coming or going from baling hay. Hopefully he had insurance on it.... and very very fortunate that the fire did not go any further.... Had a farmer here that had a bearing in his baler get hot and caught fire and the baler burned but they got it unhooked from the tractor and only burnt a little bit of the grass in the field... we were not near as dry or hot or burnt up as you are down there...
Fire is more scary and faster to destroy than floods ever were...