UPDATE 9/20/11: See link below video for current hay ads in the Lousiana Market Bulletin
All week I've watched this fire from afar, sort of wide-eyed and unbelieving, plain shocked; and I can't begin to imagine what it has been like to actually be in the midst of this great fire, under the threat of this great fire moving my way. The WunderMap at WeatherUnderground.com has a 'fire' option to show satellite views of the burning fires and the smoke cover as well. It reached the point where you couldn't see where the Bastrop fire was burning on the satellite view unless you opted out of viewing the reach of the smoke cover - it was just that solid black for miles and miles and miles. My thanks to Christine Files, a fellow BWCAA member, who sent me the link to the youtube video below. Christine was just south of the fire and part of the large scale evacuation of the area. So far her home and land have been spared. When she made it back there a couple of days ago there were charred remnants of the fire blown in by the winds and scattered around her property - any of which could have become yet another raging fire in her own backyard.
Hay was scarce and grotesquely expensive in this area before this fire -- it is now practically non-existent. Anyone (except thieving hay brokers) who can help Chris and other BWCAA members, as well of course as the many other horse and cattle raisers in the area, with locating hay is encouraged to do so.
Update: Take a look at the current Louisiana Market Bulletin published monthly by the State of Lousiana. See Page 15 for the beginning of the Hay Ads. This is a pretty large PDF document, so be patient for it to load. Bookmark this Lousisiana Dept of Agriculture page to check back for the upcoming September issue of the Market Bulletin.
Texas Wildfire Livestock Supply Points for Hay and Feed Donations - Donations of Hay and Feed and Hauling for Livestock Needed
Texas Fire Support - Active Facebook page for current information on resources available to assist humans and animals in the Bastrop and Smithville area.
RadioReference.com - Online access to Live Police and Fire Scanner Feeds
Volunteers rescue livestock and horses - Hay Donations Needed
WeatherUnderground - WunderMap - Once the map loads, scroll down the options on the right and you will see a 'fire' option, click that, and then click on the actual fire location for a closer view of the fire perimeters.
