Texas is burning…1,821,086 acres (as of April 20) and thousands of miles of fences burned in the past 100 days. Four new fires started yesterday and several others from previous days remain uncontained. To see a Google Earth overlay of the fires and where they are currently burning, click on the Common Operating Picture link on the Texas Interagency Coordination Center site HERE.
Other serious information about the fires in Texas follows the Governors proclamation below.
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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
WHEREAS, the state of Texas is in the midst of an exceptional drought, with some parts of the state receiving no significant rainfall for almost three months, matching rainfall deficit records dating back to the 1930s; and
WHEREAS, a combination of higher than normal temperatures, low precipitation and low relative humidity has caused an extreme fire danger over most of the State, sparking more than 8,000 wildfires which have cost several lives, engulfed more than 1.8 million acres of land and destroyed almost 400 homes, causing me to issue an ongoing disaster declaration since December of last year; and
WHEREAS, these dire conditions have caused agricultural crops to fail, lake and reservoir levels to fall and cattle and livestock to struggle under intense stress, imposing a tremendous financial and emotional toll on our land and our people; and
WHEREAS, throughout our history, both as a state and as individuals, Texans have been strengthened, assured and lifted up through prayer; it seems right and fitting that the people of Texas should join together in prayer to humbly seek an end to this devastating drought and these dangerous wildfires;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my Office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 21st day of April, 2011.
RICK PERRY
Governor of Texas
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Texas delegate Andy Vestal reported the fires have significantly affected the counties involved. Those rural communities’ economies are largely based on livestock–beef and dairy cattle and horses. There is an immediate need for feed and hay resources. There will be a need later for fencing materials, but feeding the livestock is most pressing issue.
Texas AgriLIFE Extension County agents are supporting eight local Livestock Supply Points for receiving and distributing donated feed resources. See below for the details. Feel free to contact any of these distribution points directly if you can help. If you respond to this call for assistance, please let your EDEN state point of contact know what you are doing. State POCs are asked to enter activities in the Response Notes (Event Name is “Wildfires Spring 2011”) on the EDEN website.
Updates on the current situation, relevant links, and supply point contact information will be posted to the EDEN Fire (Wildfire) topic page.
Fisher County Livestock Supply Point
Location: Fisher County Fair Grounds, Roby, TX
POC Riley Barnett, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Fisher County
Office (325) 776-3259
Cell (325)338-3557
rjbarnett@ag.tamu.edu
Palo Pinto & Stephens County Livestock Supply Point
Location: Dempsey Heliport, 1348 Palo Pinto Hwy, Palo Pinto, TX 76484
POC Scott Mauney, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Palo Pinto County
Office (940) 659-1228
Cell (940) 659-8693
s-mauney@tamu.edu
or
POC Leslie Neve, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Stephens County
Satellite Location: Stephens County Ag & Community Center, Take 180 to East edge of town, turn North on County Road 245, Breckenridge, Texas
Office 254-559-2313
Cell 254-246-0803
l-neve@tamu.edu
Tom Green County Livestock Supply Point
Location: 200 West 43rd Street, San Angelo, TX 76903
POC: Steve Sturtz, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Tom Green County
Office (325) 659-6524
Cell (325) 895-1063
s-sturtz@tamu.edu
or
POC: Brittni Kaczyk, Livestock Show Director, San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo,
Office (325) 653-5622
Eastland County Livestock Supply Point
Location: Eastland County Fairgrounds, 475 Hwy. 3101, Eastland, TX 76448
POC Brian Perry, President of Eastland County Livestock Raisers Association
(245) 631-9773
POC Heath Begeman, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Eastland County
Office (254) 629-2222
Cell (254) 629-6050
whbegeman@ag.tamu.edu
Pecos County Livestock Supply Point
Location: C&T Feed Store, Hwy 190 in Iraan
Feed Store POC: Texas Charlie & Theresa Brown (432) 639-6029
POC: Norman Fryar, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Pecos County
Office (432) 336-2541
Email rnfryar@ag.tamu.edu
Stonewall County Livestock Supply Point
Location: Stonewall County Fair Grounds, Hwy 380, Aspermont, TX
POC: Jason Miller, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Stonewall County
office (940) 989-3510 cell (806) 445-5056
email: jbmiller@ag.tamu.edu
Jeff Davis County Livestock Supply Point
Location: Evans Ranch, 1.5 mile South of Ft. Davis on Hwy 118
POC: Logan Boswell, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Brewster/Jeff Davis Counties
cell 432-249-0265
email lboswell@ag.tamu.edu
and
POC: Jesse Schneider, County Extension Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Presidio County
Cell 432-295-0342
Email jlschneider@ag.tamu.edu