Massive Brush Fires in Brazos Valley

[mfn002]

A huge brush and woods fire is working its way through the FM 2818 and Emerald Parkway area. Bryan, College Station, and Brazos County fire departments are currently on the scene. PHI Med 12 is doing areal recon.

Another huge fire is burning in Leon County, and a Fire Warning has been issued there instructing anyone in the path to evacuate to Centerville. Grimes, Falls, Limestone, Washington, Walker, and Robertson counties are all working large brush fires currently. Walker County has requested mutual aid from Shiro on working another large fire there. There is also a fire currently near Shiro.

Smoke from the Leon County fire has now reached the Bryan/College Station area. For the College Station fire, a dozer from the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency has been brought in to help, along with other equipment from Brazos County Road & Bridge. Currently, two trailer parks in the way of the fire have been evacuated. The fire has now been announced as contained.

 

[hiegtx]

There's also several fires burning in Navarro County, near Corsicana, with media reports of possibly as many as six separate fires, several structures lost. Additional large fires in Kaufman & Ellis County, and several today in Dallas County. See WFAA's site for details. Looks like another long day for the area firefighters. The wind is not helping a bit.

 

[reedeb]

There's also several fires burning in Navarro County, near Corsicana, with media reports of possibly as many as six separate fires, several structures lost. Additional large fires in Kaufman & Ellis County, and several today in Dallas County. See WFAA's site for details. Looks like another long day for the area firefighters. The wind is not helping a bit.

In Navarro town itself the FD lost it's station due to a brush fire into the station.

 

[texasemt13]

Plenty of large fires in Comal, Hays and Bastrop counties as well. This wind has contributed to a quick spread and with little surface water, a longer response time for helo-borne water drops. To top it off, we've had a rash of police responses, accompanying fire units, for young kids lighting grass fires, mostly bored in their backyard.

 

[Northzulchrancher]

In Madison County we had a pretty good fire on HWY 21 between Madisonville and Midway caused be a one car rollover accident. That is the third one car accident in the same area in the last 24 hours. While both Madisonville and Midway FD were dispatched to fight this fire, North Zulch VFD was dispatched to fight the Leon County fire. This afternoon we also had a grass fire in Madisonville on Collard street near the assisted living center.

I sure will be glad when this wind dies down on Tuesday.

Richard

 

[mfn002]

Last night, Leon County requested several surrounding fire departments--including Brazos County--to help with the fire, which, at last check, covered some 1000 acres near Robbins and FM 39. It has consumed 3 homes and threatens more than 50 others, according to KBTX. I would give better updates, but Leon County is outside my scanner's reception range.

 

[Northzulchrancher]

Leon county just requested more brush trucks respond to the Flynn fire. One from Madisonville and one from North Zulch as the fire is picking back up.

Richard

 

[mfn002]

Thanks. According to KBTX, the Leon County fire has spread to some 3,000 to 4,000 acres in the Robbins/Concord area. As of this posting, the fire is only 30% contained. The fire in Bastrop is at 14,000 acres and has jumped Highway 95 once and the Colorado River twice and is 0% contained. Air tankers are on the scene and several communities has been evacuated. Some reports indicate that some 300 buildings there have been destroyed.

 

[mfn002]

Another update:
The Concord/Robbins fire continues to burn on over 1000 acres with 0% containment. It has consumed 15 homes, one church, and ten smaller structures. The area is situated roughly west of FM 39 between Concord and Flynn, south of Highway 7 and north of FM 977.

In Bastrop, there is still 0% containment and it has burned over 25000 acres and stretches for some 16 miles. Updated reports indicate that 400 homes have been consumed by the blaze. Highway 21 has been closed at Highway 71. Some 30+ aircraft are working this fire, now known as the Bastrop Complex Fire.

The Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System has been activated, mobilizing firefighters from around the state.

In case someone is going to ask, there has been no activity on any of the TxWARN ISSI channels.

 

[Billknn]

Air Tanker Activity

I've been monitoring air tanker activity today using 159.33 (TFS) calling Fredricksburg Base. Refueling at F'Burg & Georgetown and returning to several different fires. All the state fire freqs are active here in Hays Co (admittedly not the Brazos Valley - I posted it here because of the tanker info - not trying to hijack the Brazoss Valley thread.)

 

[mfn002]

Now that I'm at school in Huntsville, it appears that the Montgomery/Waller/Grimes fire is being worked partially on the TxWARN P25 system on Harris County Mutual Aid Ch. 7 (TGID 1163) (mainly air units?). It seems to be simulcasted on Type II TGID 18608 as well. As for the basic fire operations, I have no idea. It has now been named the Magnolia Fire. According to an official press release posted on KBTX.com, four firemen have been transported to a hospital for heat exhaustion and one injured ankle. So far, that fire has destroyed at least 20 homes and one fire truck (oops!). It has consumed some 1600 acres so far. There are currently 50 different fire trucks fighting this fire. As of about 9 PM last night, it was burning between the Montgomery/Waller County line and FM 1488. It was moving along FM 1774. As of 944 AM this morning, evacuated residents are now being allowed back to their homes as the fire is pretty much under control and firefighters are searching and mopping up hot spots.

Leon County seems to be using the Centerville Fire Primary for base and command operations. I think I heard them mention Texas Fire 1 as their ops channel. This fire is currently estimated to be 5000 acres, and has destroyed 20 or 30 structures, and is 40% contained. They are advising residents of Flynn and Hilltop Lakes to be prepared for evacuation

The Bastrop Complex Fire has now destroyed some 500 homes and forced the evacuation of 5000 people. There is no update on the acreage consumed by the fire.

Aside: The smell of smoke seems to be everywhere. I smelled it back home in Bryan when I was preparing to leave this morning, and I still smell it here in Huntsville.

 

[mfn002]

NEW UPDATE ON THE LEON COUNTY FIRE:

The fire is now 15% contained, and the exact size of the fire is pending until an aircraft can complete an aerial survey of the area. At one point, ten firefighters in five different trucks became trapped after trees fell on their vehicles, leaving one firefighter with minor burns on his arms.

NEW UPDATE ON THE GRIMES/MONTGOMERY/WALLER COUNTY FIRE:

The Foxfire Subdivision all the way to County Road 351 is under a mandatory evacuation.

 

[motorola_otaku]

Montgomery County "Tac West" (154.74/074 DPL repeated and simplex) is the primary ops channel for the Tri-County (Grimes/Waller/Montgomery) fire with a patch to "1960 Fireground" (458.075/192.8) from an unknown location, possibly the City of Tomball's Comm Center. There is some occasional traffic on Grimes Fire (154.325/79.7) but Waller County Fire (155.76/146.2) is silent. I don't have trunking capability where I'm at right now so can't add anything on the 700/800 side.

 

[Billknn]

Fire freq

Besides the usual LCRA and Hays co freqs which are busy, there is coordination traffic on 151.475 in the Hays co area.

 

[loumaag]

Montgomery County "Tac West" (154.74/074 DPL repeated and simplex) is the primary ops channel for the Tri-County (Grimes/Waller/Montgomery) fire with a patch to "1960 Fireground" (458.075/192.8) from an unknown location, possibly the City of Tomball's Comm Center. There is some occasional traffic on Grimes Fire (154.325/79.7) but Waller County Fire (155.76/146.2) is silent. I don't have trunking capability where I'm at right now so can't add anything on the 700/800 side.

The operations (Tac West) for this fire is being repeated on TxWARN Motorola Mutual Aid 6 (TG 18608). Some additional traffic has been heard on MA2 but I am not sure if it was patched or moved there to get off the primary.

 

[mfn002]

18608 is where they've been operating as of yesterday (along with the mentioned P25 TG). I did (briefly) hear the ISSI TG El Paso/Laredo 1, so I'm not very sure if that is actually being used (presumably for the Bastrop fire?).

It sounds as if the TxWARN traffic is being patched from somewhere, due to a somewhat long squelch tail (burst of static) after each transmission.

 

[jherd]

Are there any fires in Kerr County today?

We can see smoke west of Kerrville. Thanks for any info.

 

[loumaag]

18608 is where they've been operating as of yesterday (along with the mentioned P25 TG).

Understand, they are not operating primarily on the MA6, although it is being used. The primary channel is still Montgomery Co. Tac West. What you hear on MA6 is generally a 1/4 to 1/2 of a second delayed from the original broadcast.

 

[Northzulchrancher]

I was just watching CNN and there was a really good interview from a South Brazos Count fire fighter named Andy Throne who is helping to fight the Flynn fire. It included pictures of some of the brush trucks and the fire itself. I am sure it will rerun all day if anyone is interested in watching it.

One question I have is why the helicopters from Ft. Hood have not been unleashed to help fight these fires. To my knowledge only the National Guard is being used. Back in the late 70's I was stationed in Alaska with E Troop 1st. Air Cav and during the summer months all of our helicopters were assigned to duty fighting the annual tundra fires up there.

I just saw a report on KBTX as the forest service is now reporting that the Flynn fire is now 70% contained.

 

[mfn002]

The squelch tail sounds similar to the ones I was hearing when BVWACS Fire 1 was being used during the Dyer Mill fire. If I remember correctly, they were using Texas Fire 1 and it was being patched to the TxWARN system.