Features
Texas Wildfires 2011
The devastating Texas wildfire season exceeded the one-year mark in mid-November, and because of the severe drought conditions, the end was not in sight.
The statistics are staggering during this past wildfire season. All fifty states plus Canada, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have sent personnel to assist in bringing the raging blazes under control.
The wildfires swept across every corner of the state, even in some southeastern towns where rainfall usually keeps such disasters at bay.
In 2011, Texas lost more than 3.9 million acres to wildfires, which accounted for almost 48% of the total loss nationally.
Although the news accounts reported on the amount of property damage and loss of lives, the firefighters and first responders saved tens of thousands of lives, homes and other structures. Four of the largest wildfires in the history of Texas occurred this past April.
One was a 315,000-acre blaze in three West Texas counties that narrowly missed the Fort Davis Historic Site, a frontier Army cavalry fort, and the McDonald Observatory, a major astronomical research facility.
The pictures included in this article certainly tell a story of devastation and the almost unimaginable power of nature. Eerily, some of the photos show an unsettling beauty even in the face of such destruction.
What the pictures don’t show is the spirit of Texas found in its people. That never-say-die, never-give-up attitude that Texans are known for and thrive on. Even in the face of seemingly impossible odds, there is still resolve, hope and confidence that order will be restored. When disasters such as these massive wildfires damage utility systems, the utility companies launch massive round-the-clock efforts to restore services as quickly as possible. The logistics associated with these restoration efforts can be daunting.
The key to getting things back to normal is restoring vital services as quickly as possible. Utility companies send their personnel into the affected areas almost immediately. They mobilize outside resources to assist with the monumental task. And one of the best things that companies can do after disasters is get back to business. People rely on these vital services to meet their needs and the more quickly companies can get back up and running, the more people will appreciate the good work the companies do all the time.
Yes sir, after the headlines were written and the horizon was no longer lit with the glow of fire, utility men and women began the process of putting Texas back together. Utility by utility and shoulder to shoulder, the work began to restore some resemblance of normalcy to families and communities that would rebound and live, thrive and dig in for the next volley that mother nature would throw their way.
A special thanks to all the firefighters and emergency responders who fought bravely to save as much as they could. And a special thanks to all those utility men and women who worked around the clock to restore the feelings of “We’re going to be ok.”
Fighting against impossible odds without losing hope is heroic indeed. In Texas, it’s who we are!
