|
NWS Warns of Elevated Fire Threat |
|
Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 -- The National Weather Service has extended a Fire Weather Warning for Galveston County until 6 PM today.
This "Red Flag" warning remains in effect due to strong winds and low relative humidity values.
Though Southeast Texas has received considerable rainfall lately, low-humidity levels and plentiful fuel (tall, dry grass, for example) increase the threat of wildfires. Grasses can dry out in a matter of hours when humidity levels are low and winds are gusty.
Citizens should exercise caution with outdoor burning and other sources of fire when Red Flag Warnings are in effect. |
|
Stay Informed with NOAA Radio |
|
Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 – NOAA Weather Radio is a service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. As the “voice of the National Weather Service,” NOAA Weather Radio provides continuous broadcasts of the latest weather information directly from NWS offices.
The Houston-Galveston office of the National Weather Service is located at 1353 FM 646 in League City, co-located with the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, the 911 Emergency Communications District, and the State of Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Recorded weather messages are repeated every four to six minutes and routinely revised every one to three hours. Most weather radios have an alert feature, which activates an alarm and turns on the radio when severe weather threatens. This provides listeners critical, potentially life-saving messages.
The Galveston County OEM has distributed weather radios to county facilities and schools. The radios are inexpensive and available at many retail outlets.
SATURDAY: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
|
|
Port Industrial Tank Fire Extinguished |
|
Friday, February 24, 2012 – Firefighters from several departments extinguished a tank fire along the Galveston port early Friday. A shelter in place order for Texas A&M University of Pelican Island was lifted.
An explosion triggered the tank fire around 7 PM Thursday, and the Galveston Fire Department called in mutual aid support from surrounding fire departments to assist. Water was sprayed on surrounding tanks to keep them cool, and foam was pumped on the two burning tanks to eventually extinguish the fire.
Several state agencies assisted as well, and will investigate and conduct air monitoring around the facility today. |
|
Firefighters Battle Tank Blaze on Island |
|
Thursday, February 23, 2012 – Firefighters from Galveston, La Marque, Texas City and other communities are battling an oil tank fire in the Galveston port area that is expected to burn into the early morning hours.
One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation but no other injuries were reported.
A shelter-in-place was ordered at Texas A&M University on Pelican Island shortly after an explosion set off the tank fires around 7 PM. The tank storage facility is located in the 4900 block of Harborside Drive near the Pelican Island Bridge, which was closed to traffic as a precaution.
Mike Wisko with the Galveston Fire Department said firefighters were spraying water on four large tanks surrounding the two smaller tanks that were ablaze, to keep them cool. Efforts were under way to bring fire retardant foam to the scene to help extinguish the fires.
Assisting with response efforts were the Galveston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Transportation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Coast Guard.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next > End >>
|
