Texas Fires!

[victor3ranger]

Insurance didn't cover the tractors or any of the equipment including the center pivot damage. Best hope is for federal and state relief funds.

Oh lord buddy I hope they step up

 

[victor3ranger]

SW OK has burned three times in my lifetime that I recall. Nowhere near 1 million acres though. Those fires become a weather event of their own. The speed and temperatures are unbelievable. At one point we had wind speeds over 70 mph. If you have never seen dry ceders go up, it is like watching a gasoline explosion 1,000s of times. The birds and rabbits spread the fire. I have seen burning rabbits and birds streak across fire breaks. Massive granite rocks split in half from intense the heat. At night it looks like someone spread charcoal across the landscape. With each gust, the coals glow red hot. I have seen the wheels fire spoken of in the Bible. The large wheels of sparks rotate vertically and horizontally in the air like wheels burning everything in their path. The fire is so hot things like mulch in flower beds start to combust 30 yds ahead of the actual fire. It is a devastating and horrifying sight. My thoughts and prayers to those that have been affected.

I have seen that myself and it's something I don't really want to see again

 

[skipglo]

When shipping and retail cost added, that's probably about right? I don't make 6' bales as they weigh more than most ranchers want to load their vehicle with (especially 2 bales). The 5' bales of alfalfa I made weighed 1,300 and 6' would be about 1,700+. Last time I bough seed it was $250/bag (50#) and fertilizer $150-200 acre applied (potash, phosphate and trace minerals). Now add hired labor and price can be an extra $10/per bale if you bale your own (someone else hauls). Custom balers will be a ton of the cost. My 1,300# bales cost $80 (horse quality). Todays pricing around $95-110.

That's pick up in the yard...!! I got out of Horses at the right time...only lucky thing that ever happened to me!

 

[bluedog69]

That's pick up in the yard...!! I got out of Horses at the right time...only lucky thing that ever happened to me!

Back many years ago I got into horses. Any average registered 3 month old colt would bring $600. Calves were $400. Many colts brought $2500. Watched many awesome 3 month to yearling colts sell for $5000-$7000.
Then about 6 years later when I was just invested good into a few good mares they outlawed horse processing in the USA and we had bad droughts. I watched literally hundreds and hundreds of quarter horse colts and paint colts sell for $20. Some for $5 and $10. I had a 3 year old 16 hand gentle beautiful colored overo stallion I got $150 out of him. Could have been a $10,000 animal. Many people don't realize when there is nothing out there to feed a horse, there is nothing out there to feed a horse. So I got out and stuck with cattle.
The "animal lovers" who got the horse processing plants shut down caused more grief and suffering for more horses than anyone ever has. They had to truck them to Canada to slaughter. Many were put down, and many were just abandoned, and then had to be put down. Idiots with no concept of real life. They don't realize that just because they got a law passed and they feel so good about themselves, Mother Nature is still a cruel *****!

 

[Darryle]

Talking about how fast something can get out of hand. Me and my cousin were doing a controlled burn on a hay field, double disced barrier around the area, started right at sun up, not even a hint of a breeze, about 1ac in, winds picked up and motivate the fire parallel to our burn and over the barrier. I jumped in the truck and hightailed it to the neighbor's property and started a back fire along a cattle trail and creek, wet toe sack and box of matches. Burn, extinguish, burn extinguish and when the VFD finally arrived the fire was nearly under control and burned two hay fields, ours and the neighbors. Sheriff wanted the neighbors to pursue charges, guy said they saved me fuel and time and I was planning on doing it anyway. I made a healthy donation to the VFD at the yearly dinner and all was mostly forgotten, I still caught flack about my fire fighting arsenal though everytime I saw one of the members.

Sometimes, not losing your head plays into your hands, but with a brush fire and plenty of fuel, all bets are off, you are taking your life into your own hands and dancing with the devil.

I experienced that brush fire of 1996, it was something I never want to experience again, helpless is an understatement.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Dang this is the first I have heard about fires in Tx. I still don't understand why the National Guard & Military Bases close by, are not called out to help extinguish fires when they first look to get out of control. They should be on alert whenever we have these kinds of fires. I would think the Engineers could be putting in fire breaks. The aviation units could be used to help drop water or some form of chemical to help put the fire out also. It's crazy we pay for all this equipment & training. Why not train some of these units to help w/ fires ? They have a lot of the equipment already needed. And what they don't have. Get it for them. To me that is protecting the country. Just in another fashion. Man I hate to see people burned out. They will never be able to replace what they had.

I watched a 10 min. video on the fire fighting bomber planes working out of I think it was Abilene. Amazing. The winds are what jack them up. I never knew but a spotter plane flies ahead of the bomber and releases a vaper trail the the bomber follows . I wish I could of found the link. Like you, I hadn't heard a word of the fires on news (Newsmax and Fox) until 2 days ago. I read on 1440 News 3 days ago. I don't get it. God bless everybody in the Panhandle.

 

[ARlife4me]

I watched a 10 min. video on the fire fighting bomber planes working out of I think it was Abilene. Amazing. The winds are what jack them up. I never knew but a spotter plane flies ahead of the bomber and releases a vaper trail the the bomber follows . I wish I could of found the link. Like you, I hadn't heard a word of the fires on news (Newsmax and Fox) until 2 days ago. I read on 1440 News 3 days ago. I don't get it. God bless everybody in the Panhandle.

I never saw any planes drop water where I'm at and don't know why there wasn't any! There should've been!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I never saw any planes drop water where I'm at and don't know why there wasn't any! There should've been!

They were dropping retardant. Doesn't put fire out just slows down for water drops or ground crews. I saw graders making firebreaks . I learned some things I didn't know. I would hope other bombers from other states were helping out. Colorado has many. I know they would come from other states to fight fires in Ca.. Also ground crews. I'm amazed they haven't stopped it. Cattle have died but everything I see and read says beef prices aren't affected. I don't care about beef prices but I do about about the people affected.

 

[ARlife4me]

They were dropping retardant. Doesn't put fire out just slows done for water drops or ground crews. I saw graders making firebreaks . I learned some things I didn't know. I would hope other bombers from other states were helping out. Colorado has many. I know they would come from other states to fight fires in Ca.. Also ground crews. I'm amazed they haven't stopped it. Cattle have died but everything I see and read says beef prices are affected. I don't care about beef prices but I do about about the people affected.

I've seen planes drop retardant in the past where I live, but didn't see any this time. With the abundance of aircraft that does this job I've should've seen some in my area.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I've seen planes drop retardant in the past where I live, but didn't see ant this time. With the abundance of aircraft that does this job I've should've seen some in my area.

I agree. What happened to your spread has no excuse. I would think they would target ranches and structures first ??? God bless you and I'm glad no life was harmed. I had 6 in. Of snow last night. I wish I could of sent your way. I have two good friends there. One in Houston and one in Columbus. Neither near Panhandle. Stay safe brother and my prayers are with you and all affected. I went to bed. Woke up and had this. I wish would come your way at least for a day.

 

[ARlife4me]

I agree. What happened to your spread has no excuse. I would think they would target ranches and structures first ??? God bless you and I'm glad no life was harmed. I had 6 in. Of snow last night. I wish I could of sent your way. I have two good friends there. One in Houston and one in Columbus. Neither near Panhandle. Stay sade brother and my prayers are with you and all affected. I went to bed. Mo dnow. Woke up and had this. I wish would come your way at least for a day. View attachment 551225View attachment 551227

We did a combination of snow, sleet and rain for several hours, but accumulation wasn't much.

 

[WYO300RUM]

We did a combination of snow, sleet and rain for several hours, but accumulation wasn't much.

I read that. Wish it of lasted longer. Would of helped a great deal