The worst wildfire in Texas history started on September 4, 2011, northeast of Bastrop. The fire burned more 34,000 acres and nearly 1,700 homes. Four people died because of the fire. This was the Bastrop County Complex Fire (BCCF). It wasn't controlled until October 10, and was not finally declared extinguished until October 29, 2011.
The BCCF burned through the heart of the Lost Pines of Bastrop County, a relict forest of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), disjunct from the loblolly pines of the East Texas Pineywoods. The Lost Pines area was also known to be the best remaining habitat and the largest population of the federally-listed endangered Houston toad (Anaxyrus houstonensis). The fire burned through the core of this area, that had been designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1978 as Critical Habitat.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracted with several biologists to help implement their disaster response and Houston toad conservation efforts. Because I'm permitted by the USFWS to work with Houston toads, FEMA enlisted me to help from February 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. My records from this period are from February 2, 2012 through June 30, 2012, with one record from July 27, 2012.
I have never seen so much ash in one place, and I hope I never see it again.
(Notebooks 111-119)
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, by Jim Dixon. Found under debris of a burned building, under a piece of corrugated metal (photos 3 and 4)
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Site conditions shown in Photo 3.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011. "Home is where the ash is."
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Scaphiopus tadpoles. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Scaphiopus tadpoles. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Found by Jim Dixon (Photo 4). We miss you, Jim!
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Hyla chrysoscelis - versicolor tadpoles. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Either Hyla chrysoscelis or versicolor. Probably versicolor. _Hyla_chrys-vers_tadpole
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Found in swimming pool with old water.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Barred tail and front legs that look like they are about to pop out are typical of Hyla chrysoscelis/versicolor tadpoles.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Mallard nest. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Photo 2 shows site brush pile where this individual was found.
Hyla chrysoscelis or H. versicolor. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Hyla chrysoscelis or H. versicolor. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Found and relocated about 220 of these.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Hyla chrysoscelis or H. versicolor. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. Photo 4 shows the site.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. This individual was found under an upside-down bathtub (Photo 5).
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire. It was in an oak with a broken hollow limb on the ground. Relocated to another location.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire.
21 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
23 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
23 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
23.5 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
24.5 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
26 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
29 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
32.5 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
43 weeks after the Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on 9-4-2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Eastern bluebird nest in burned snag. Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
Found during cleanup after Bastrop County Complex Fire, which started on Sept. 4, 2011.
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