WILL POWER REPORT: NO GLOBAL WARMING IN TEXAS?
Nothing but the truth!
By Will Power
September 8, 2011 (San Diego) -- Texas Governor Rick Perry denies there is such a thing as Global Warming, but this week the Governor had to quit the campaign trail to address a huge wildfire that burned 1,000 homes to the ground. Texas has been in a tremendous drought for several years, decimating the cattle industry and leaving most of Texas smoldering.
Now its the upscale hill country where the rich folks live that is burning. Perry had no choice but to come home and try tofight the fires.
The LA Times reports as follows:
No part of Texas has been spared. There are crown fires in the eastern Pine woodlands; fires around Dallas, Austin and Lubbock; and large fire complexes in the Panhandle and the Big Bend region of southwest Texas. The unprecedented blazes, which have scorched more than 3,000 square miles, have been driven by fierce winds, bringing much of the nation's professional firefighting resources pouring into Texas.
The state, said Texas Forest Fire Service spokesman Marq Webb, is burning from "stem to stern." Two firefighters have been killed, including one Wednesday, near Lubbock.
The fires continued to rage across Texas on Wednesday. Every heavy air tanker in the country is being deployed here, as are four C-130s and the California-based DC-10 fire tanker. A cold front eased back temperatures and raised humidity somewhat, but red-flag warnings remained in place in nearly every county.
Firefighting forces have been so overwhelmed that some small towns have been left to defend themselves.
Perhaps Governor Perry needs to reassess his concept of Global Warming now that his backside is so close to the fires.
Will Power is a retired history teacher and creative writing instructor. The views expressed in this column reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine