Gulf Shores State Park Wildfire (Foley, Orange Beach: campground, live, beach)

[BstYet2Be]

I've been watching the news on this since Sunday on various national tv stations... just too, too sad! This wildfire is now on its fourth day of burning with over 700 acres consumed thus far... was supposedly started from just a small fire Saturday morning by "someone emptying a grill in the Gulf Shores State Park" (translation, some dumb butt that didn't bother to put it out completely!).

See: Light rains dampen Gulf State Park as fire continues to burn | al.com

However, according to this article and several other reports I've seen, it is not affecting the beaches on Gulf Shores or Orange Beach.

Sure am hoping the area gets a some much needed soaking rain this week as forecasted!

[ronrutmr2]

Got some decent rain today, first in weeks. The fires were mostly under control by then, but the rain is sure to help. The beach areas were not affected, since the wind kept the smoke inland and somewhat east. I live on the extreme north edge of the Foley area, and woke up to ash on the cars Sunday morning! Some of the businesses east of the fire area, on the canal road, closed due to the heavy smoke.

Ron

[southernnaturelover]

If we had more prescribed burning during the winter months we wouldn't have these out of control fires during the summer. There's simply too much fuel build-up in these wooded areas, the forests along the gulf coast are meant by nature to be burned out every few years.

[BstYet2Be]

Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft said the burning of the Gulf State Park isn't as bad as it may appear. He said the park is 6,200 acres, and as of Wednesday, about 1,000 acres had burned.

See: Winds play key role in fire burn out | Fox10tv.com

Seriously, are you kidding me??? Every day has added 200 more acres burned and he's saying it's not as bad as it appears???

While I can appreciate the fact that this is one of the worst scenarios that could have happened right now, with a heavy tourist 4th of July holiday weekend/week coming up... and especially following last year's oil disaster... but please, get real here! Call in the troops... and more than that one darn helicopter... and put this thing OUT already!

[BstYet2Be]

Great news... Gulf State Park campground was open and packed for the 4th with fireworks enjoyed from the State Park Pier!

See latest reports:

Gulf State Park Packed For 4th Despite Wildfire | GULF SHORES, Alabama

Beachgoers Ready for Explosive 4th

Alligator family rode out Gulf State Park fire in mud hole (video) | al.com

Gulf State Park Fire Aftermath | GULF SHORES, Alabama

[wadejay26]

So I guess the mayor was right saying it wasn't as bad as it appeared.

[BstYet2Be]

Originally Posted by wadejay26

So I guess the mayor was right saying it wasn't as bad as it appeared.

If you consider 1,100 acres of a natural forest preserve, along with the wildlife habitation it held, now burned and lost not bad then I guess so, as it certainly could have been worse. And, most likely would have been had the governor not visited and called in more troops which contributed to the successful containment level attained.

But, as stated in one of the aftermath articles, it (this fire) has created a big hole in what was a completely forested area in a public state park and it will be years - another lifetime - for it to be replenished with both trees and wildlife... a sad, sad loss for this generation.

[southernnaturelover]

The longleaf and slash pines evolved to withstand fires, but like I said, these wooded areas were allowed to get so overgrown that it created an abnormally hot fire, so even the pines may not make it.


Do some reading here...
The Longleaf Alliance
It'll give you an idea of how mismanaged our woodlands are, and why these wildfires get out of control.

[wadejay26]

Wildfires were here before man and will be here after man. Wild life adapts. No one was killed and damage to the economy was minimal. Not bad.

[BstYet2Be]

Folks, just to clarify, that when I stated the fire was 100% contained, this did not mean the fire was completely out. A fire is considered contained when its spread has been halted but may be still burning freely within the perimeter with further work required to bring the fire under control, as is the case here.

Per the followup article today (see Lessons Learned from Gulf State Park Fire | GULF SHORES, Alabama), "it still is smoldering today".

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

The longleaf and slash pines evolved to withstand fires, but like I said, these wooded areas were allowed to get so overgrown that it created an abnormally hot fire, so even the pines may not make it.

Do some reading here...
The Longleaf Alliance
It'll give you an idea of how mismanaged our woodlands are, and why these wildfires get out of control.

Interesting read, southernnaturelover! And yes, I agree with you on the mismanagement... the only prescribed burn that I found that was done this past year in the park was on a 40-acre parcel back in the spring.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that performing prescribed burning is even being considered as one of the lessons learned here... they seem to think that more trails are needed to serve as additional fire breaks instead.