The 2011 Texas wildfires were a series of destructive wildfires in Texas that occurred during the 2011 fire season. During 2011 in Texas, around 31,453 fires had burned "2011 Texas Wildfires: Common Denominators of Home Destruction", tamu.edu, December 2011, webpage (PDF): tamu-TW. (about double the previous record), 2,947 homes (1,939 of which were destroyed over the Labor Day weekend), and over 2,700 other structures.Texas Fires 2011 Fact Sheet September 20, 2011 47.3% of all acreage burned in The United States in 2011 was burned in Texas. The fires had been particularly severe due to the 2011 Southern US drought that covered the state, and was exacerbated by the unusual convergence of strong winds, unseasonably warm temperatures, and low humidity.
Timber lost to drought and wildfire in 2011 could have produced an estimated $1.6 billion worth of products, resulting in 3.4 billion dollars of economic impact in East Texas.Texas Water Report: Going Deeper for the Solution Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Retrieved 2/10/14.
Firefighters from more than forty-three states were involved in combating the fires. Two firefighters were killed: Eastland volunteer firefighter Gregory M. Simmons, 51, died April 15 while battling a blaze Friday afternoon near Eastland; Cactus volunteer firefighter Elias Jaquez died April 20 from injuries sustained while fighting a blaze April 9 in Moore County.
On Sunday, September 4, 2011, a forest fire known as the Bastrop County Complex Fire engulfed rural areas to the east Bastrop, Texas, including the Tahitian Village development, and by September 30 had destroyed 1,645 homes, burned 34,068 acres, and killed two people. This fire is now regarded as the most catastrophic wildfire in Texas history.Bastrop fire investigation concluded
Texas Governor Rick Perry declared a State of Disaster on December 21, 2010, and renewed the proclamation every month. On April 16, 2011, Perry asked that President Barack Obama declare 252 of 254 Texas counties as disaster areas due to wildfires and wildfire danger;Perry's disaster request letter April 16, 2011. the request was partially approved on July 1, 2011. Critics of the governor's relief efforts point to his budget cuts to the Texas Forest Service which provides a first line of defense against wildfires. Overall, wildfires in Texas during 2011 caused $510.927 million in damages and caused six fatalities, though an additional 62 people were injured.
Background The 2010 Texas wildfire season began on November 15. A La Niña weather pattern that began in the summer of 2010 brought widespread drought to Texas. The percentage of exceptional drought in the state was the highest since the United States Drought Monitor began tracking the data in 2000."Texas drought worst in recent history" ConnectAmarillo.com May 5, 2011. A pattern of troughs from the Pacific Northwest brought strong winds over the plains. These weather conditions coupled with an above normal grass fuel loading created conditions for an active fire season.Tom Spencer and Brad Smith. "Winter 2011 Wildland Fire Season Outlook for Texas" Texas Forest Service Sep 24, 2010.
Notable fires This is a list of known Texas wildfires occurring in 2011 that reached a size greater than 10,000 acres (40 km2) and/or caused significant destruction in residential areas.
Bastrop County Complex
Due to the ongoing exceptional drought conditions in most of Texas and the high winds brought to the state by Tropical Storm Lee, a series of wildfires flared up over Labor Day weekend and continued into the following week. The largest and most destructive was what is now known as the Bastrop County Complex. At approximately 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on September 4, two fires started north of Bastrop State Park in the communities of Circle D-KC Estates and Tahitian Village. The likely cause of the blaze was sparks from electric power lines. 30 mph gusts of wind apparently toppled trees which tumbled into electrical lines at two locations, creating sparks that fell onto and ignited the dry grass and leaf litter below. The fire was exacerbated by the outflow of Tropical Storm Lee in conjunction with exceptional drought. The fire quickly spread, engulfing 400 homes. Multiple areas and locales were evacuated, including the Bastrop Animal Shelter, Bastrop State Park (more than half of which was burned), and other communities affected by the fire. By 7:30 PM on September 5, 2011, the fire had burned about 25,000 acres and 500 homes. Winds began to calm the evening of September 5, but the fire still had no containment by the evening of September 6. By September 11, 1,554 homes had been destroyed. By October 1, the fire had reached 98% containment but had burned a total of 34,068 acres and 1,645 homes, making it the most destructive fire in Texas history. (Austin American-Statesman, September 9, 2011) At 8:00 PM on October 10, the fire was declared 100% contained.Bastrop fire investigation concluded
Bear Creek Fire On September 4, the largest fire in East Texas History began. Scorching more than 43,000 acres in Cass and Marion Counties. The fire took over 5 days to get under control involving numerous houses, and property. Multiple fire departments aided in the suppression efforts. A total of 91 structures were burned by the wildfire, amassing a damage toll of $6 million.
Colorado County Fire On September 4, a fire started in Mentz, a rural community about northeast of Columbus, TX. The fire consumed 1800 acres, 11 homes, 40 outbuildings, and about 38 vehicles. The fire was contained a few days later.
Cooper Mountain Ranch Fire Following a period of gusty conditions in mid-April, thunderstorms occurring between April 10–11 over West Texas initiated several wildfires. Among these was the Cooper Mountain Ranch Fire, which began from a lightning strike in south of Clairemont in southern Kent County. The fire ultimately spread to Fisher, Scurry, and Stonewall counties. On April 14, the city of Rotan was evacuated as the fire spread east, with one home destroyed near the county line between Kent and Stonewall counties; residents of Rotan returned to their homes after a few hours. A change in the winds to northerly caused the fire to spread south towards Camp Springs on April 18.
The fire was eventually contained on April 22 after burning of grassland, resulting in $1.26 million in economic losses and the destruction of 350 utility poles. It was the sixth largest wildfire in Texas history. FEMA approved $1.35 million in assistance grants as a result of the fire.
Crockett Fires
Fires burned between Texas 7 and US 287 and County Road 4505 but later jumped across to CR 4529. The cause of this fire is unknown. Another fire originally started in Anderson County but moved into Houston County near the Percilla Community. This fire was apparently caused by a downed power line.
Deaton Cole Fire The grass fire in Val Verde County, southwest of Ozona burned . The fire started on April 25 and the cause is unknown. The fire was controlled on May 10.
Delhi Fire On September 4, a fire began near Jeddo, Texas in Caldwell County. The next day, 6 homes were burned, including .
Dickens Complex The Dickens Complex of fires in Dickens County consisted of the Edwards, Batch Camp, South Camp, and Afton fires. The fires were started by lightning strikes on May 7. The fires were contained on May 15 after burning .
Encino Fire
The Encino Fire was located South of San Angelo. It started from a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. The fire consumed over but destroyed no buildings.
Moore Fire (Gladewater) This fire, which was described by a longtime sheriff as "the fastest moving fire he had ever seen", burned 1,400 acres, destroying six houses and many barns. Outbuildings and pieces of equipment were also lost. More tragically, 2 fatalities occurred in a mobile home, when a mother and her 18-month-old daughter were unable to escape the fast moving blaze. A house mate was injured but was able to escape the blaze.Wind-driven fires kill woman, child in East Texas . WFAA.com. September 5, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011. The fires moved so quickly due to the extremely dry conditions and the high winds, sometimes reaching 40 mph. The fire was later extinguished despite state firefighting resources being stretched to their limits.
Griffith League Scout Ranch Fire This fire started around 2 pm on October 4, 2011, at Oak Hill Cemetery Road, east of FM 2336, near the Griffith League Scout Ranch. It grew to 100 acres within two hours, 1,000 acres by nightfall. The outbreak was 25% contained by 8:30pm following the efforts of seven bulldozers and over 30 fire trucks with assistance from four aircraft that dumped 90,000 gallons of fire retardant onto the blaze. As of the morning of October 5, 50 homes had been evacuated.
The 5,000-acre ranch had already lost approximately 1,000 acres to fire on September 4 and 5. 350 acres had burned previously in a wildfire on August 21, 2010.
Hodde Lane Fire On September 4th, 2011 a series of wildfires started in the Pflugerville, Texas area. The day began with the Pfluger Fire which was located in downtown Pflugerville, and the Gattlinberg Fire later on in the day. The third and largest wildfire was named the Hodde Lane Fire, and was located just east of Pflugerville. The fire eventually grew to approximately 300 acres, and approixmately 300 homes were evaucated. Ultimately, three structures were burned. Texas Forest Service dozers responded from Bastrop (before the Bastrop fire started), two Starflight helicopters, and over 70 units from the region responded to the fire.
Horseshoe Fire On August 15, 2011, a wildfire broke out in central Leander, Texas. 189 homes in the surrounding area were immediately evacuated. The fire burned 30 acres in total and raced through a mobile-home neighborhood, destroying 15 homes and multiple vehicles. Since it broke out on Horseshoe Drive, it is known as the Horseshoe Fire. This was the first of two destructive fires Leander experienced within three weeks, the second being the Moonglow Fire.
Iron Mountain Fire The cause of the Iron Mountain Fire is unknown. The fire started on May 9 in Brewster County about east of Alpine eventually getting to within of the town. The fire burned over .
Moonglow Fire On September 5, a wildfire broke out in the Mason Creek North subdivision (on Moonglow Drive) in Leander. Police declared the cause to be arson. The fire destroyed 11 homes and damaged nine. The Moonglow fire was the second destructive wildfire Leander had experienced within three weeks, leading the Leander City Council to declare the city a disaster area shortly thereafter.
Pedernales Bend Fire The Pedernales Bend Fire (also known as the Spicewood fire and Pedernales Fire One) was a fire that began on September 4 near Lake Travis. Fanned by strong winds, the fire quickly grew, forcing residents in a radius of the fire to evacuate the area. By the end of the day, the fire was estimated to have engulfed . The next day, the fire already destroyed 20 homes and moved across the Pedernales River, continuing to burn in Hays County. Most of the fire moved to the west of the river, where it destroyed an additional 65 structures and engulfed a total of . The fire also cut power from 545 homes. However, the growing fire slowed down as it was quickly contained, and on September 7, the fire was completely contained. In total, 65 structures were destroyed, including 34 homes. The fire burned in total.
Possum Kingdom Complex