Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Wildfires in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, & Colorado

Since the beginning of March, it seems as if there has been a "Huge Sale" on wildfires.  There's a relatively small wildfire that began on 4 March in Mississippi; named the Missala, it's 90% contained and has burned 500 acres.  Florida has four wildfires burning: the Badcock Grub Road fire is 75% contained and has burned 400 acres; the Hickory Tree fire is also 75% contained, but has burned only 110 acres. The Trail fire, southwest of Miami-Dade, has burned 1,065 acres and is 75 % contained.  The big fire in Florida is the Lee Williams Road fire that has burned 6,500 acres and is only 15% contained.
  Our two major wildfires in Colorado have almost burned out, and are 100% contained.  The Wellington fire in Larimer County burned 2,000 acres.  The Logan and Phillips County fire burned homes, more than 200 cattle, and burned 32,550 acres.
   The other fires in three other states are all still total wildfires - except one small fire near Amarillo, Texas that is 100% contained.  The total amounts of areas burned in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are staggering: more than 861 square miles have burned in Kansas; more than 700 square miles have burned in Texas: and in Oklahoma, more than 1,406 square miles are charcoal.   Livestock and wildlife have lost their lives, but, most importantly, seven people have died from smoke inhalation and/or burns.  I mourn all of them.
    Since 4 March, twenty-three counties in Kansas have had wildfires, and more than 1,000 square miles have burned.  In Reno County, more than 6,000 acres have burned, and that fire is 70% contained.  In Comanche County, more than 236 square miles are charcoal, and the fire is approaching the Kiowa County line to the north.  West of Comanche County is Clark County, and 85% of the county, or 625 square miles, has burned.  That fire is out of control.
    In the state of Texas, the small fire near Amarillo is contained, as stated previously, but there are two other large fires burning in the panhandle. The first, near the Oklahoma state line, has burned 492 square miles, and killed 3 people.  The second fire, a few miles south of the larger one, has burned 210 square miles.
     Oklahoma has suffered the largest area burned, with over 1,406 square miles. they have three separate wildfires alight.  The Starbuck fire began in Beaver County, Oklahoma and has crossed over into Kansas.  The 283 fire is burning in Harper County; and the Selman fire is burning in both Woodward and Harper Counties.All three of these wildfires are only 10% contained.
    Wow.  I just totaled the amounts of land burned so far in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and found that 3,021 square miles are scorched earth.....  We need rain and/or snow!
    Most of these fires have destroyed, or will continue to destroy, agricultural land.  These areas are farming country - livestock, mostly cattle; and grain and vegetable farms.  The food meant for our tables is being burned before it was able to produce a harvest.  Look for the cost of eating staples to rise.....
 

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