Do you think Austin is due for the fire of all fires? (Bastrop: suburban)

[eastof35]

I was just wondering about this. It seems that we are always in a drought and there are so many areas just covered in Cedar (ashe juniper) trees that are constantly shedding dry needles. Seems like there would be a lot of fuel that has built up.

I have a farm in Bastrop and when we clear the cedars from under the oaks and pile them up to burn them, they go up in flames like they are soaked in gasoline. I mean you can watch the flame go down a twig and it literally looks like a fuse. It's actually a little startling how fast they burn which is why I only burn when everything is soaking wet.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by eastof35

I was just wondering about this. It seems that we are always in a drought and there are so many areas just covered in Cedar (ashe juniper) trees that are constantly shedding dry needles. Seems like there would be a lot of fuel that has built up.

I have a farm in Bastrop and when we clear the cedars from under the oaks and pile them up to burn them, they go up in flames like they are soaked in gasoline. I mean you can watch the flame go down a twig and it literally looks like a fuse. It's actually a little startling how fast they burn which is why I only burn when everything is soaking wet.

We've all known that suburban fires here were eventual, we just don't want to acknowledge it. Look at what's happened to CA over the last 5 years; we are foolish to think that can't happen here.

[eastof35]

We really do seem to be ignoring it.

What I have noticed at my farm is that you can see that the evidence of past fires. The larger oak and elm trees will have burn marks on their trunks, but they survive just fine. The cedars do not survive. It's natures way of clearing the land.

I know there have been fires pass through my place a few times in recent history and since it is mainly a grass fire, the damage has been minimal. I wonder if we should at least be trying to mimic what nature does if not by fire then by some clearing?

[cBach]

The difference between here and CA for instance is we tend to go through wet periods followed by dry periods, and it seems that the dry periods are almost always followed by some relieving rains just when you think it's a lost cause. Also, our rains can occur anytime throughout the year, whether with fronts passing in the fall, winter, and spring, or with (rare) tropical disturbances in the summer.

I even think we'll see at least one rain sometime in the next few weeks that may wet things down a bit.

[Exiled Texan]

Yet another reason to chop down the Cedar trees. Give me a chain saw.

[eastof35]

Photos: Wildfires blaze across Texas

yikes!