COUNTY LIFE
Palo Pinto County develops Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address risks
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Palo Pinto County has adopted a plan to reduce risks and better prepare for wildfires.
Palo Pinto County, west of Fort Worth, is the 24th county to complete a Community Wildfire Protection Plan in Texas.
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a proven strategy for reducing the risk of wildfire to communities. The Palo Pinto County plan establishes goals and strategies for long-term success by identifying priorities and proposing immediate measures that will protect communities, especially those at highest risk, from wildland fire.
The plan was developed in cooperation with Palo Pinto County officials, local fire departments and representatives from Texas A&M Forest Service.
“With the signing and implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, we took a big step toward improving the safety and security of the citizens and visitors of Palo Pinto County,” said Ricky Hunter, Palo Pinto County Emergency Management Coordinator. “Wildfires will remain a threat, but this plan, and the involvement and support of the community, will help to lower that threat. I would like to thank all our volunteer fire departments, Palo Pinto County Emergency Services District 1 and Texas A&M Forest Service for their help in achieving this important goal.”
The county has been impacted by wildfires in recent years and is subject to Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak events.
On April 9, 2011, conditions aligned to create a Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak, which resulted in 144 wildfires burning more than 582,000 acres. The PK Complex ignited that day in extremely dry vegetation after 10 consecutive days with critical fire weather. The rugged terrain around Possum Kingdom Lake was also a major influence on fire behavior.
The wildfire burned uphill, causing it to travel rapidly and burn intensely, exposing homes along hilltops and ridges to some of the most extreme fire behavior that emergency responders observed that year.
The wildfire burned 126,734 acres in Palo Pinto, Young and Stephens counties and destroyed 168 homes. It is the 10th largest wildfire to burn in Texas since 1988.
The 2011 wildfire season in Texas was unprecedented, and wildfires have continued to threaten the communities of Palo Pinto County.
In 2022, the busiest fire year since 2011, 12,411 wildfires burned across Texas. Of that total, 123 wildfires burned in Palo Pinto County. The largest of these wildfires was the 11,598-acre Dempsey Fire, which threatened the town of Graford.
“Completing this plan is a great first step towards reducing the county’s risk from wildfire,” said Wes Moorehead, Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief. “By focusing on actions that improve preparedness and response to wildfire, Palo Pinto County can work towards becoming a more resilient community.”
Initial conversations and meetings for the Palo Pinto plan took place during the fall of 2021. As the 2022 wildfire year began, the need for a comprehensive plan was reinforced.
On March 3, the Palo Pinto County Community Wildfire Protection Plan was approved and signed by the County Commissioners and Texas A&M Forest Service.
To learn more about Community Wildfire Protection Plans and reducing your risk from wildfire, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/ProtectYourCommunity/.
The Candy Cane Sip & Stroll With Me kicks off Fantasy of Lights Christmas weekend in Bowie on Dec. 6.
Bowie’s popular strolling event will be from 5-8 p.m. on Dec. 6 throughout downtown. Participating merchants invite strollers to enjoy wine or other drinks and holiday munchies as they shop stores and visit retailers. There will be live music, a holiday photo booth and carriage rides.
Wristbands may be purchased at any of the participating merchants for $15. Strollers will receive a wine glass with their wristband, but they also are welcome to use a previous glass.
Proceeds go toward downtown beautification projects by the Bowie Community Development Board.
Participating merchants are: Rooted Souls Studio, Brandi’s Hair Salon, Beauty Bar + Co., Sharing the Love of Dolls, Broke Gals Boutique, Culpepper’s Trading Post, Hwy. 59 Boutique and Gifts, Studio 81, Wheat Jewelry Design, Mowens Slingin that Wax, Wise Street Mercantile, Silver Bullet Web Solutions and Cross M Beef, Hat Rack Hair Styles, Reboot Tech Repair, R&K Sound and Entertainment, Kimber Creek Gift Store, Sister Act Connection, The Element Salon, TScott designs, The Cactus Flower, The Wildflower Downtown, Rustic/Wings/Belle Rose, Thrift Angels Thrift Store, H&R Block, LaBelle Vintage Mall and Bowie Smoke Shop.
Sip & Stroll is a prelude to the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Festival on Saturday that has activities throughout the day, and a Christmas home tour on Sunday afternoon.
For 58 years the Bowie Young Homemakers have been helping build families and community through its activities and support. While its signature event today is Santa’s Workshop, their efforts have touched many through the years.
The club was launched on Nov. 1, 1967 after being organized by two Bowie home economics teachers. Waunita Schaffner served as club advisor 40 years and left the post when she retired after 39 years of teaching, 31 in Bowie.
As she retired in 2006, she told The Bowie News she and Francis Stewart thought this type of club would be good for young people. It was originally associated with the state association, but later left that group when they wanted to exert control over how local funds were spent.
The initial thrust of the organization was to encourage young homemakers and help them accomplish their goals.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Top photo- Colorful Christmas decorations are a trademark of Santa’s Workshop.
Communities, just like families, will come together for Thanksgiving with holiday meals this week, so don’t spend the day alone or without a meal.
Saint Jo and Forestburg will have their town dinners on Nov. 21, while the Nocona Senior Citizen Center also will serve its Thanksgiving feast.
In Saint Jo the meal will be served at noon in the Saint Jo Civic Center. The center board will provide the turkey, ham, dressing, gravy, bread and drinks. Guests are asked to bring their favorite side dishes whether it be vegetables, salads or desserts to complete the meal.
Food may be dropped off at the civic center that morning. This meal is free. The civic center is a 501c3 non profit corporation and donations are appreciated.
The Forestburg Community Center Club will serve up its dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the community center. The club will provide meat, dressing and drinks, while guests are asked to bring a side dish or dessert.
The Nocona Senior Citizens Center will serve up its Thanksgiving feast at noon on Nov. 21. The meal will include traditional holiday favorites. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for those 12 and under and free for those under the age of four. The center is at 400 Boston Street.
The center is already taking RSVP reservations for dine-in and take-out, call 940-825-3148. Center staff sent out their gratitude for those who donated turkeys and hams this past week after one of the center freezers went out. They have plenty of turkeys but could still use a few hams.
The center experienced a big setback earlier this week when its freezers went out destroying the turkeys and hams already stored for the dinner. Community members have been stepping up to fill the void and center officials were planning to restock this weekend.
First Methodist Church of Bowie members will once more host the Bowie community Thanksgiving Day dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members invite you to come as you are to share a meal in fellowship hall or call for delivery or carry-out.
Delivery orders will be taken until noon on Nov. 27. Call the church office at 940-872-3384. Calling to report pick-up meals is helpful, although not necessary. There is no charge for dinner.
There also will be a free hot meal on Thanksgiving Day at First Baptist Church of Nocona from 10 -11:30 a.m. The church is located at 511 Cooke and the meal of traditional favorites will be serv
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