Wildfires Continue to burn in several states / Historic Weather

As wildfires burn on and hundeds if not thousands of firefighters respond not all their safey issues are fire related.

Blaze at North Carolina wildlife refuge burns 20,000 acres

Dry thunderstorms spark more fires in West Texas

Okefenokee fire nears 72,000 acres as it burns toward Florida

Wildfires prompt evacuations in 2 New Mexico communities

Historic month for wild weather in US

 

May 10, 2011 - 4:27PM  AP

US government meteorologists say April was a historic month for wild weather in the US, and it was not just the killer tornado outbreak that set records.
April included an odd mix of downpours, droughts and wildfires.
Six states - Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia - set records for the wettest April since 1895.
The US also had the most hectares burnt by wildfire for April since 2000.
Add to a record 305 tornadoes from April 25-28, which killed at least 309 people and the most tornadoes ever for all of April: 1875.
US scientists also looked for the fingerprints of global warming and La Nina on last month's deadly tornadoes, but could find no evidence to blame those often-cited weather phenomena.
Meanwhile, Texas and parts of several surrounding states are suffering through a drought nearly as punishing as some of the world's driest deserts, with much of the nation focused on a spring marked by historic floods and deadly tornadoes.
Some parts of Texas have not had any significant precipitation since August.
Bayous, cattle ponds and farm fields are drying up, and residents are living under constant threat of wildfires, which have already burnt across thousands of square kilometres.
Grass is so dry it crunches underfoot in many places and some ranchers are culling their herds to avoid paying supplemental feed costs.

Mother Nature Gets Mad AGAIN !

VIRGINIA Hit with yet another round of tornadoes. The Virginia Department of Forestry is responding with chainsaw crews and dozers to help open up critical access routes.

Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency today in the aftermath of tornadoes and violent storms that killed at least eight people.

Seven people were killed in the Glade Spring area of Washington County in Southwest Virginia and one died in Halifax County, officials said.

"Severe storms that spawned possible tornadoes struck several areas including the counties of Goochland, Halifax, Shenandoah and Washington among others," the governor's office said in a news release.

Pictures provided by DOF Steve Counts who is helping coordinate DOF resource response to Washington County.

Scores of wildfires and tornadoes lead to largest, deadliest severe weather outbreak of year

From wildfires in TX and OK to tornadoes throughout the south it was/is a reminder of just how powerful Mother Nature can be. I came accross this interesting map showing the number of tornadoes by county in VA from 1950-2000. Seems like we have had several decades worth in just a few days recently.

Scores of tornadoes lead to largest, deadliest severe weather outbreak of year

Natural Disaster Examiner

Tony Hake 

A massive, three-day storm system tore across the United States from the Deep South to the Mid-Atlantic leading to more than 200 tornado reports and killing at least 45 people.  The severe weather event marks the nation's deadliest weather event of the year and the death toll is expected to climb.

A Lowe's Home improvement store suffered a direct hit from a tornado in Sanford, NC.  Quick action by employees is credited with saving customers as half of the store was torn apart.
As they continued to the northeast Virginia suffered casualties and severe damage from the storms.  At least four people were killed in the state, three in Gloucester County.  A child in the Shenandoah Valley was swept away by a flash flood and another possible victim has yet to be found. 
Over the three-day outbreak, 230 tornadoes were reported and scores of reports were received for significant hail and damaging wind.  The event is by far the most significant and widespread weather disaster in the United States this year.  

Three die in Gloucester tornado

More than 60 people injured

West Texas ranchers lose cattle, livelihood to fires

PLEASE Remember

We can not do anything about Tornadoes except prepare for them and take action when notified to do so by the National Weatehr Service BUT we can do something about most of the Wildfires! What you say? MOST WILDFIRES CAN BE PREVENTED, MOST ARE HUMAN CAUSED AND A RESULT OF CARELESNESS.

 

Tornadoes in Pulaski VA

Multiple Tornadoes Confirmed In Virginia County Friday

Pulaski maintains emergency shelter, imposes curfew after devastating tornadoes

PULASKI, Va. — The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes in Pulaski County, Va., about 50 miles north of Mount Airy, N.C.

The Roanoke Times reports that a team on Saturday surveyed the storms from Friday night.

The first tornado was rated EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with estimated winds of 125 miles per hour. It was 440 yards in width and had a path nearly two miles long. There were eight injuries associated with that tornado and several homes had roofs removed.

A second tornado touched down near the National Guard armory on U.S. 11. It was rated a strong EF-1 tornado with estimated winds of 105 to 110 miles per hour and had a path 480 yards wide and 2.6 miles long. A gas station and several homes were damaged, with one mobile home being demolished.

FORESTRY CREWS HELP WITH CLEAN-UP AND RECOVERY

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by this series of devastating storms.

Links to news stories with video of the damage

http://www.digtriad.com/news/article/170568/1/Multiple-Tornadoes-Confirmed-In-Virginia-County-Friday

http://www.wset.com/story/14415898/two-tornadoes-confirmed-in-pulaksi

Pulaski Storm Damage

The following Photos are by Mike Cocker, VDEM Regional Coordinator, during damage assessment 4/9/11