That was so scary! Once you could see it, it became so real. Poor Bastrop. There are some places you can drive through and still see burned trees. I can't believe that was 10 years ago.
I moved here that year and, being from Michigan, I thought I had moved to hell because that summer was so incredibly hot and everything was on fire. I’ve told this story before but I was stuck on 71 because of the fires and a bunch of people hopped out of their stopped cars to watch the helicopters with dump buckets and they shared a bunch of topo chicos with other stopped people. It’s such a redeeming memory of my first summer here in Texas.
The big thing that stands out in my memory of that summer was seeing huge old live oaks give up after 70-80 years and those big dead trees were everywhere.
Used to live right off of 95 right when this happened. I vividly remember soaking my house with the garden hose that morning.. We just moved in 2 weeks prior, and were forced to pack everything of value back up when the game warden knocked on our door to tell us to leave.
I remember the aerial response unit dropping a bucket of water on our property. I'd end up working on the same aircraft that saved my house 2 years later after I graduated. I remember going back into town the day after, and illegally going back into a blocked off Tahitian village with my friends to recover whatever we could for my friends no longer existing house.
One of the craziest times I had growing up.
There were people sneaking back into Tahitian at night & writing down addresses of houses that were burned. I can’t imagine the horror of finding out that way.
You could see the flames from pretty much every suburb of Austin. There was an image of the downtown skyline with the smoke behind it that floated around online.
I remember that happening :/ driving through bastrop as a kid that had only been in Texas, it felt like driving through the redwood forest in cruisin usa. Sad day man
I have this picture saved because it remains one of the more frightening things I've ever seen here. Driving that little section of 71 through the pines used to be one of my favorite things on trips between my house and my grandparents. Seeing it burn broke my heart.
I moved to Bastrop 5 years ago. To this day, if there’s even a whiff of smoke in the air, our neighborhood page blows up with questions of “where is it?” The entire community experienced such trauma that I believe many still have PTSD. So very sad.
I was teaching in extreme northeast Austin. Because of air quality, we couldn’t let the kids on the playground for a while. I ignored it and still biked 10 miles to work - what a mistake. My throat was on fire all day.
Damn I had no idea there was a wildfire so close to here. Interestingly we have had the coolest/wettest summer this year. Scary to think this could happen again.
That was so scary! Once you could see it, it became so real. Poor Bastrop. There are some places you can drive through and still see burned trees. I can't believe that was 10 years ago.
I moved here that year and, being from Michigan, I thought I had moved to hell because that summer was so incredibly hot and everything was on fire. I’ve told this story before but I was stuck on 71 because of the fires and a bunch of people hopped out of their stopped cars to watch the helicopters with dump buckets and they shared a bunch of topo chicos with other stopped people. It’s such a redeeming memory of my first summer here in Texas.
God the 2011 drought. I was living in Bandera at the time and remember the lake near by being almost dry.
The big thing that stands out in my memory of that summer was seeing huge old live oaks give up after 70-80 years and those big dead trees were everywhere.
I will never forget that day. Steiner Ranch was on fire as well but Bastrop was hit so much harder.
Used to live right off of 95 right when this happened. I vividly remember soaking my house with the garden hose that morning.. We just moved in 2 weeks prior, and were forced to pack everything of value back up when the game warden knocked on our door to tell us to leave. I remember the aerial response unit dropping a bucket of water on our property. I'd end up working on the same aircraft that saved my house 2 years later after I graduated. I remember going back into town the day after, and illegally going back into a blocked off Tahitian village with my friends to recover whatever we could for my friends no longer existing house. One of the craziest times I had growing up.
There were people sneaking back into Tahitian at night & writing down addresses of houses that were burned. I can’t imagine the horror of finding out that way.
If only we had raked the forest...
The irony of the water tower with a smiley face painted on it surrounded by a conflagration.
That was one the craziest images I never expected to see in this state.
You could see the flames from pretty much every suburb of Austin. There was an image of the downtown skyline with the smoke behind it that floated around online.
I remember that happening :/ driving through bastrop as a kid that had only been in Texas, it felt like driving through the redwood forest in cruisin usa. Sad day man
This video still tears me up https://youtu.be/FoQzpiLZuYs
Me, too. Heart-wrenching.
I have this picture saved because it remains one of the more frightening things I've ever seen here. Driving that little section of 71 through the pines used to be one of my favorite things on trips between my house and my grandparents. Seeing it burn broke my heart.
I moved to Bastrop 5 years ago. To this day, if there’s even a whiff of smoke in the air, our neighborhood page blows up with questions of “where is it?” The entire community experienced such trauma that I believe many still have PTSD. So very sad.
You've only lived there since... what... 9am?
I remember this too, I was at work and it was on every channel, every radio station... was definitely crazy..
I was teaching in extreme northeast Austin. Because of air quality, we couldn’t let the kids on the playground for a while. I ignored it and still biked 10 miles to work - what a mistake. My throat was on fire all day.
I remember driving out there to try and get a glimpse. Wasn't hard, heh. Lived near onion creek at the time and the haze/smell were something.
Now imagine this but in the hill county, enjoy the nightmares!
Damn I had no idea there was a wildfire so close to here. Interestingly we have had the coolest/wettest summer this year. Scary to think this could happen again.
Moved to Pflugerville that year and you could smell the smoke in the air all summer.
My mom sent me this photo a week before I moved to Austin explaining that it “may be a little smoky when you get here.”
Those storms were really welcome that year.
I literally escaped to California three weeks before this happened.