The local fires that roared through for about five days are over finally, smoke still hangs over everything.

 

There is now a website up to take PayPal donations: http://www.westtexasfirerelieffund.com/

 

There's still more info on the Facebook pages I linked on the 14th here too.

If you watch the video on that site, fair warning, there's images of dead livestock briefly in it. The maker of the video noted he left a lot out, he found a large number of dead livestock.

Fires are getting controlled- slowly. Well ok one more than the other. The "Roper Fire" is pretty well handled if still burning, but the "Rock Shop Fire" is still raging around ranches north of me.

 

There's word that the Associated Press articles outside of the area/state are mangling facts, and also even in some cases confusing our fires with one north of Abilene that is also a major one apparently (I have to admit I haven't read up on it)

 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/usa/tex-20110411.html <-- NASA images of the fires at some point or other

 

http://tinyurl.com/3ucjaw8 again is the weather underground satellite fire map- it should update any time you go there/refresh it

 

They said it was 40% contained (the north/western fire) a while ago but the facebook page has terse updates from people battling flames- the wind is swirling around they say and making it hard as hell to track. We're not entirely out of the woods yet.

Facebook page with information about a relief fund for Davis County people who lost homes http://tinyurl.com/3ljls7f being updated regularly

 

I'm trying to find people to help me set up a fund like that one specifically for ranchers- they are going to need food for livestock, but also there is seriously emergency need for fencing materials from what I heard- they cut fences to save the cows and fences burned to slag, but this means surviving livestock are wandering, often onto the roads. Angus beef cattle are black- so black cows on blackened roads in smoky conditions or at night are going to be a hell of a problem I'd suspect.

In the meantime Johnson Feed in Alpine is reportedly letting people buy stuff to keep on hand for livestock needs, 432-837-5792

It probably wouldn't hurt if anyone wants to call True Value or McCoy's here in Alpine to ask if they can 'buy for ranchers' but that's just a thought I'm having. True Value: 432-837-2061 McCoy's: 432-837-7429

 

http://tinyurl.com/43wf82z is the FB photo album full of pics taken over the weekend by people

The Fort Davis, Marfa, and Alpine Fire Departments are taking donations, can probably ship stuff to them if you're not local. West TX and Fort Davis Food Banks too

Food and water for humans we seem to be doing ok locally for, pet food, toiletries, etc have been suggested as being needed/good to send in

 

I'm afraid I don't have much more leads on anything else. Good sources of LOCAL versions of news are:

 

The Big Bend Sentinel: http://www.bigbendsentinel.com

 

Marfa Public Radio: http://www.marfapublicradio.org (they had equipment damaged by fire but did emergency repairs, they probably could use some donations, and have been one of the big lifelines for local folks along with the Alpine radio stations)

 

Alpine Avalanche may have info too: http://www.alpineavalanche.com

Maintenance on the site and store is being delayed due to major fires in my area of west TX. So far my home and workplace are out of the danger area, but we're on standby even if unofficially in case a wind shift changes this or we need to go out and help friends.

 

If you want more information on the fires, and on how to help, please check out the Marfa Public Radio and/or Big Bend Sentinel sites for more information, there is also a Facebook community that has been started about this all.

 

Right now I don't have any good information about where dontaions can be sent from further afield. The Red Cross has folks out here, and KRTS itself, the radio station, which has been a major source of updates for the area does run on donations- and as soon as I find out more about possible ways to donate to the many who've lost their houses or businesses to the fire I'll post about it on my Facebook, Twitter, and likely here as well.So far I haven't heard of any loss of human life, but many ranches lost their herds, and dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed- which in our small communities is really a lot.

I've lost count but I think we've had five or six separate fires in west Texas, including even right up in Midland.

The Bakafox Studio online store is currently down for maintenance as I re-inventory my work after changing around gallery displays and attending an art festival or two. If you're a visitor who saw me at Deep Ellum or another show and wanted to make a query about a piece you saw there, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information on what you were looking for.

 

I hope to have the store back up before the 16th of April.