The Fires were fully extinguished the first week of July. Please spend some time view the foillowing photos, links and information provided below. CB
6-30-11 Updates
I rode around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach this morning and there is still alot of smoke rising from the remainder of the fire. Surprisingly I saw or heard no copters working the fire.
Some youtube videos I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg42HJLeThs&feature=related
Video of Helicopter working the fire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3rC2rArBes&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg42HJLeThs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFUX8-zlTDA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmD53QGI66M&NR=1
6-29-11 updates
Photos I have found on the web:
The Wharf via Jen Hallex on Facebook it’s My guess this photo was taken on Monday or Tuesday.
6-28-11 Updates
Tues Night Photo posts on the fire:
http://yfrog.com/hsbhayzj
Governor Robert Bentley declared a State of Emergency. Two More Helicopters have been brought in to fight the fire!
From Fox10Tv.com
State of Emergency declared for Baldwin Co.
Wildfire possibly started by grill ember
Updated: Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011, 8:38 AM CDT
Published : Monday, 27 Jun 2011, 8:53 PM CDT
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) – Officials aren’t 100 percent sure, but they have a very good idea of what started the fire.
Gulf Shores State Park Superintendent Mike Guinn said an ember from a grill is more than likely what caused the massive fire in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to start.
Guinn said they have no proof, but he does know charcoal is not to blame for the blaze.
The fire started in Gulf State Park Saturday and has burned 500 to 600 acres.
Guinn said a group from out of town was camping and grilling out. He said he believes that the grill was the origin of the fire.
“The best we can figure out is possibly a hot ember came out of the grill, but nobody dumped anything. In fact, there would have been positive evidence of that. In fact, the coals are still in the grill,” said Guinn.
It was suspected that charcoal was dumped out and was to blame for the blaze. Guinn said that rumor is not true, but that the fire could have been avoided.
Guinn said, “He did leave the grill unattended for about three hours before we got the call.”
According to the Regional Alabama Forester, Gary Cole, the fire is about 80 to 90 percent contained. Cole said the remaining 20 percent is the most dangerous part of the fire.
Strategic planning for the morning is going on well into the night, and executing the plan is critical in containing that last part of the fire to prevent homes and businesses from being affected.
The plan for Tuesday morning is to burn what officials call “fuel.” That’s any other wooded areas that would feed the fire and give it more power. The idea is to burn areas in a controlled environment versus letting the fire take them over and continue burning. Tuesday morning’s plan is not a “last option,” but crews are putting a lot faith into the burn off plan.
Cole said, “Tomorrow morning, if everything goes right, we plan to do what we call a burn out and bring helicopters and water buckets and personnel on hand. The volunteer fire departments will be here, and we will have a controlled atmosphere, and we can actually set fire and let it all burn down into this area and let it burn completely out.”
When it’s all said and done, a fire that started from a small ember will have burned a large portion of the woods at the beach.
“It could be as much as a 1,000 acres. It’s unfortunate that we have to burn this area, but we are trying to protect property and lives,” Cole said.
Governor Bentley declared a State of Emergency for Baldwin County due to the fire. State resources are being used to contain the fire as quickly as possible.
“Local officials are working around the clock to contain this fire, and I am hopeful they will be successful,” said Governor Bentley. “The fires have not affected the beaches of Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. I want to encourage people who have plans to travel to the gulf for the upcoming holiday to continue with their vacation plans.”
Governor Bentley has directed the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and Alabama Forestry Commission to provide the necessary assessment of damages and seek state and federal assistance for the affected areas
A wildfire has broken out in the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Apparently the fire started as 3 acre fire and has now turned into a 100+ acre wildfire that is burning toward the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
A helicopter has been called into assist the firefighters. Below are links to local news outlets as well as people posting photos on the web.
The Following photos are shot from my home in Perdido Key, FL. The Links below contain several photos from the surrounding area.
http://twitpic.com/5gudla
http://yfrog.com/h3713faj
http://twitpic.com/5guz0l
http://yfrog.com/kk50557481j
http://lockerz.com/s/114169227
http://lockerz.com/s/114165009
http://yfrog.com/kina9vj
http://twitpic.com/5gvwyw
I will keep Posting more photos as I find them on the web!
More Articles and Pics Updated @ 8:22p
http://www.alabamawx.com/?p=49861
Shot from the Wharf: http://yfrog.com/khv0qkij
http://twitpic.com/5gwq2t
http://twitpic.com/5gx349
http://twitpic.com/5gwczv
Nighttime Photo’s Posting soon 9:06pm
http://yfrog.com/h467fwgj
http://lockerz.com/s/114230493
http://yfrog.com/kjqmapwj
http://twitpic.com/5gz1cu
http://yfrog.com/kfbqzjj
I can still see the Red Glow from my house in Perdido Key now at 11:28pm 6-25-11
cb
Sun 6-26-11
This Morning the Smoke Plume has diminished and I am posting the text below from the AL.com article stating that the OB Fire chief feels like they have it under control. CB
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama — Firefighters continued to battle the Gulf State Park wildfire throughout the night and Orange Beach Fire Chief Forney Howard is calling overnight “back burns” successful.
While the chief wouldn’t say the fire is under control, he said, “we pretty much got it contained.”
http://blog.al.com/live/2011/06/helicopter_to_be_called_in_to.html
“We’re working all the hot spots this morning,” he said.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20110625/NEWS01/110625011/1006/news01
Howard said overall the blaze, which started about noon Saturday at a campground site at the park, has torched about 175 to 200 acres solely in the state park and that no structure, equipment or people have been harmed.
http://www.abc3340.com/category/192143/gulf-shores-skycam?redirected=true