(Community Matters) Letter from director David Lambert to Board of Visitors:
Friends,
McDonald Observatory had a narrow escape this weekend when a fast moving fire began between Marfa and Fort Davis on Saturday afternoon. The Observatory was put on high alert, but is now (Tuesday noon) returning to normal.
On Saturday April 9, the Observatory was enjoying an Open House for local residents and visitors in delightful weather. About 1:30pm, smoke could be seen coming from a wildfire between Marfa and Fort Davis. The fire spread very quickly in the strong westerly winds toward Fort Davis. At about 6pm, all power to the Observatory was lost. After Professor Craig Wheeler gave his talk in the StarDate cafe, the Open House ended without a Star Party.
Residents of Fort Davis and Limpia Crossing, and staff and visitors at the State Park were asked to evacuate and the Observatory was identified as a suitable location. The Astronomers’ Lodge, which had electrical power provided by a generator, accommodated about 50 persons that night. The VC parking lot was home to about a dozen RVs and campers.
Since Saturday, the Observatory staff led by Dr. Tom Barnes (Superintendent) and Steve Bramlett (Observatory Fire Marshal) have maintained a 24-hour watch and maintained the capability to assist in fighting fires should they have threatened the Observatory.
Additional multiple challenges faced Tom and his staff. For example, pumping of water to the mountain from the Limpia watershed was interrupted until diesel generators were installed Sunday afternoon. Also, telephone service was severely affected and at times nonexistent until Wayne Alexander made a key call to AT&T that resulted in service Sunday night.
The Observatory is now out of danger from this fire. Fire continues along a 22 mile stretch in Fraser canyon stretching east from the radio dish on the Sproul ranch. This is being attacked with planes, helicopters and ground crews. It presents no immediate danger to the Observatory and an anticipated change in wind direction will turn the fire back on itself and away from the Observatory.
While the Observatory was spared, the fire did considerable damage to Fort Davis and elsewhere. Approximately 25 homes were destroyed and upward of 100,000 acres burnt. A fund to assist the community has been established at the Fort Davis State Bank :
Even as this fire is passing into history, we remain very much at risk on account of the very dry conditions and the abundance of grass and other fuels.
My thanks to the Observatory staff led by Tom and Steve for their watch over the Observatory.
David
update:
Dear Friends,
Many of McDonald Observatory’s wonderful supporters have responded to help people in Jeff Davis County with the losses caused by the recent fire, and many more have expressed interest in doing so.
The link to the Fort Davis Bank provided in the email sent yesterday led to the front page of the bank’s web site, but here is more specific information regarding donations:
Jeff Davis County Relief Fund
c/o Fort Davis State Bank
P.O. Box 1808
Fort Davis TX 79734
Account #321028 (needs to be included).
If you’d like to donate specifically towards fencing labor and materials, indicate FENCING FUND on your donation.
You may also donate through any of the following:
Jeff Davis County Relief Fund
c/o Permian Basin Area Foundation
200 N. Loraine, Suite 500
Midland, TX 79701
Fort Davis County Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 811
Fort Davis TX 79734
Valentine Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 44
Valentine, TX 79854
Marfa Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 846
Marfa TX 79843
Salvation Army of Texas
Monetary donations to support The Salvation Army Texas Wildfire Relief can be made by mail to
P.O.Box 36607, Dallas, TX 75235,
by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY
or online at www.salvationarmytexas.org
American Red Cross of Southwest Texas
Right now the greatest need for the local Red Cross is monetary donations to assist all of the victims of disaster relief in West Texas. Donations can be mailed to:
American Red Cross of Southwest Texas
PO Box 60310
Midland TX, 79711
If you would like to make a donation using a credit card, please call the office at 432-563-2267.
Red Cross Web site for donations:
https://www.arcswtx.org/newsdetail.php?id=94
David Lambert
Community Matters 