Tag Archives: fire

Assessing the wildfire damage

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This will be grim work. A multiagency environmental response task force will soon issue a report assessing the environmental and ecological damage of the wildfires. “It’s almost complete,” said Roxanne Hernandez, administrator for the county’s Lost Pines Habitat Conservation Plan … Continue reading →

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Trouble with the trees

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The drought gets more expensive for the city of Houston. The drought is about to claim yet more of Houston’s green – this time $4.5 million in tax dollars to remove trees that have died of thirst. Houston’s driest year … Continue reading →

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More things that schools have to deal with that isn’t in their budgets

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Droughts and wildfires. The drought across Texas has lasted nearly 12 months, and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, La Niña, the intermittent Pacific Ocean phenomenon that caused the drought, is back and strengthening. … Continue reading →

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What we lost in the wildfires

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to take a long time to recover from the fires. The fire burned through the heart of the Lost Pines area, a unique ecological island encompassing some 64,000 acres of loblolly pine, the westernmost stands of the great … Continue reading →

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Mayor extends burn ban in parks

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Parker Extends Parks Burn Ban to Include Smoking Mayor Annise Parker today signed an executive order extending the City’s temporary burn ban to include smoking in City parks.  The smoking ban applies to lighted cigars, cigarettes, … Continue reading →

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We had a wildfire protection plan

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We just weren’t willing to pay for it. Long before this month’s historic wildfires in Texas, the state’s forest service came up with a $20.4 million plan to stop the flames from starting or tamp them out before small blazes … Continue reading →

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City may ban smoking in parks

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Um, yeah. Mayor Annise Parker said she is considering banning smoking in the city’s 380 parks because of the fire dangers presented by discarded cigarettes. “This drought is a crisis situation,” Parker said.  ”I am leaning toward a ban on smoking cigarettes, … Continue reading →

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New park protection rules

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office: People Protecting Our Parks Mayor Annise Parker Announces New Fire Safety Campaign for City Parks Mayor Annise Parker, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) and the Houston Fire Department (HFD) announced People Protecting Our Parks, a new … Continue reading →

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This is an excellent time to cut funding for fighting wildfires

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That’s exactly what the Republicans did in the budget that came into effect last week. Cash-strapped state lawmakers – led by Gov. Rick Perry’s stand against raising taxes or dipping too deeply into the state rainy day fund – cut … Continue reading →

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From the “You get what you pay for” department

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this story about the struggle of suburban fire departments to provide services for residents who don’t want to pay for them. I just don’t understand the mindset. Montgomery County ESD No. … Continue reading →

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Forensic Science Commission gets its report on Willingham case

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a lot harder for anyone to claim with a straight face that the state of Texas has never executed an innocent man. Key testimony that sent a Corsicana auto mechanic to the execution chamber for setting … Continue reading →

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Fireworks and droughts

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s hard out there on a fireworks vendor. As July 4 approaches, Michael Girdley is praying for rain. The president of Alamo Fireworks, based in China Grove, is worried a summer drought could lead to a fireworks ban in Harris … Continue reading →

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Gallery fire ruled arson

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The massive fire last week that destroyed the warehouse at Gallery Furniture’s main location on the North Freeway was intentionally set, an official said today. Rob Elder, assistant special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and … Continue reading →

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Gallery Furniture fire

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Like most people in Houston, I was shocked and saddened to hear about this. As flames ripped through one of Houston’s most notable retail icons Thursday night, Gallery Furniture founder Jim McIngvale vowed to rebuild. But McIngvale, who earned fame … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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