central texas wildfire

Sep 17, 2011

A family displaced by wildfire

Deanna / Poignancy / bastrop fire, central texas wildfire, giving back /

I am a photographer involved in the Recapturing Memories Project, an organization that pairs families who have lost their homes to wildfire with a photographer who provides a free family portrait session to mark their new beginning.

The first family I was given lived in the Tahitian Village area of Bastrop, one of the hardest hit. They invited me to come with them as they took their two daughters, aged five and seven, to the site of their home for the first time.

The Callaghans moved to Bastrop in 2007 from California, and purchased a home in the piney woods and two lots adjacent. Here is their home just a few months before the fires, after a rare Texas snow.

They had no idea they would flee this home just four years after their arrival, a harrowing drive through smoke and fire after rescuing their large collection of family pets. This was the scene just before they made their getaway through the neighborhood.

When they finally made it through and out into safety, they realized they wanted to move back to California to be near their family.

While all 15 of their animals were saved, only a few of them will be able to make the road trip to their new life. Others have been adopted by friends whose homes were unaffected.

They would like to take this stone with them, as it is the only surviving element of their actual house, but they fear it would weigh down the car too much, and requires equipment to lift and move.

I’ll be taking their happier family photo in and around the places in Bastrop they want to remember, as well as contacting all the photographers who photographed them during their time here, in hopes of recovering a few of the images they had taken while they were Texans.

Mostly I wish them happiness and peace in their decision to leave this behind them.

Sep 14, 2011

Portraits for families displaced by wildfires

Deanna / Writing / bastrop fire, central texas wildfire, giving back, red cross /

Wow, it was quite a week after I posted my Bastrop wildfire picture, and it totally became what several news agencies called the “Iconic Photograph of the Texas Wildfires.” It was on the home page of CNN and is the opening image in this Red Cross video asking for help.

One of the things that came out of my sudden noteriety is helping a couple of East Texas photographers establish their new organization that provides family portraits to those who may have lost everything due to the wildfires. It is their hope to begin the process of building new memories and new treasured photographs for their family.

If you know a family who was affected by the wildfires, have them apply when they are ready at

www.recapturingmemoriesproject.org

I am only one of over 100 photographers in Texas and Oklahoma who are part of this effort. Our first act was to pool equipment, cameras, and props to give to a professional photographer who lost her entire studio to the fires.

Even if you weren’t affected, know that the Red Cross seriously depletes their money stores during disasters. You can donate to the Central Texas Red Cross by texting as instructed in the video, or by going to http://t.co/LoDBLXC.

Sep 7, 2011

Background of the fire photo and info on permissions

Deanna / Day in My Life / bastrop fire, central texas wildfire, photo /

My children had just gotten safely home after driving an hour through smoke when I saw the image.

The girls had been out camping, their father sending me a tense message when the sky began turning black. I couldn’t have been more relieved to see them.

We were driving up Loop 360 (Capitol of Texas Highway) near Westlake when we saw the skyline of Austin backed by smoke.

I just happened to have my Canon 5d Mark II in my lap because I had been shooting around town for holiday portrait locations.

We immediately pulled into a business park with a view of the city. Unfortunately, a hill of dirt partially obstructed our view. Here is that shot:

Fires in Austin and Bastop by Deanna Roy -- outtake

The girls wanted to scale the fence and climb the hill, but trespassing was not the order of the day, so we instead drove back to our original sighting on the highway. By that time, the fire was actually a little more dramatic. Here is an unfinished and uncropped version of the image.

Austin Wildfire September 2011 -- uncropped -- Deanna Roy

Here is a Google Map of the location. The time stamp on the image is 5:18 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5. I bracketed the shots, intending to do an HDR (High Dynamic Range) image from it. The grayness of the air made the image lower contrast that I would have liked and it was a little yellow, so I knew it might need adjustment. The wind was terrible and the side of the road didn’t feel too safe, so I jumped back in the car, knowing color and contrast was an easy fix.

When we got home, studying for tests and making dinner intervened. I definitely did not have time for an elaborate HDR from handheld frames, and almost didn’t do anything with the shot at all. But my fiance asked if I’d upload it to Facebook, so he could share it with his family in California.

So I hurriedly copied the shots to my computer. I cropped out the guard rail and bumped up the contrast so that the cityscape would show through the haze. At the last minute I tossed my web site on there, planning at that point to maybe blog about it, but also to differentiate my image from the hundreds I expected would be taken of the same scene.

I had no idea that this particular image was ephemeral, and that within a few hours, the smoke haze would spread so far and wide that the city skyline itself would almost disappear.

I uploaded it quickly to Facebook. Just a few hours later the phone began ringing. Television stations, wanting to use the image on the evening news.

I’ve had some 1500 messages, calls, emails, and comments in the last 40 hours. Most every news organization has contacted me. CNN featured it on the home page and now I’ve gotten calls about it being used in television ads for the Red Cross. I have not accepted any money for it, nor am I doing prints or selling the file.

Sometimes I stare at the photograph and wonder why it affects so many people. I see the truly amazing images coming out of the wildfires — incredible feats by fire fighters, homes that are down to pipes and bricks, and think — this is nothing.

But I suppose that maybe the photo turned the tide somehow. People saw it and thought, this isn’t a small thing. It’s big. It’s bigger than the city. And for two days, that particular fire has been 0% contained. When the photo was taken, some 30 homes had been destroyed. Now it’s 500 and counting. I think this picture made people realize — they need help.

So I hope most of all that if you see it, you donate to the Red Cross of Central Texas. They need it. People need it. There are so many ways to lose things in this life, but fire is all encompassing. There is nothing left to dry out or collect or salvage. It’s gone. Everything. Gone.

If you are connected to a fundraiser or other event for the evacuees of this fire, the answer is yes, yes, of course you can use the photo. As long as you are using it to good purpose and not reselling it, I’m okay with it. Run with the file you have or ask me to send you one resized to fit your project (most 8.5×11 flyers will be fine with what you saved, but bigger projects or high def video need a higher res.) You can comment or email or link to it so I can see your wonderful work, but honestly — I’m just amazed by what you are doing — so go, make your own difference in this crisis.

I am a part of a group of photographers who will be donating family portraits to families who have lost their home so that they might begin rebuilding their memories.

Sep 6, 2011

Helping the Central Texas fire evacuees

Deanna / Day in My Life / central texas wildfire /

It’s hard to be in Austin right now. The heat wave finally ended and settled into 90 degrees after 80 days of 100+, but our hearts are breaking over the wild fires, which continue to rage in Bastrop. Small fires have popped up in the city as well.

Here are ways to help:

Make a cash donation to the Red Cross of Central Texas, who can most effectively use the money to get needed supplies and assistance: http://t.co/LoDBLXC

Most needed: bottled water, canned food, baby food, clothes, socks, dog & cat food, crates, litter

If you want to drive things out, take them to:

Rundell Business Park: 704 W Highway 71 Bastrop 78602 call: 512-332-8661

Places in town to bring things:

The Thrift Shop at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection is accepting donations for victims. The shop at 2008 Justin Lane will take donations of clothing, housewares and toiletries, which will be taken to distribution centers.
To help the families affected by the Steiner Ranch fire, Austin Christian Fellowship is taking donations of bottled water, sports drinks, non-perishable snacks, toiletries, work gloves, heavy duty trash bags, flashlights, batteries and pet food. Donations can be taken to 6401 River Place Boulevard.
Collections are also being taken in the Liberty Hill area. You can call Chuck Licata at 512-466-7751 to help.
Anyone in Hays County hoping to volunteer or donate water and food for firefighters or evacuees can contact Volunteer Coordinator Lidia Contreras at 512-393-7302.
The OASIS on Lake Travis has announced it will be a drop off point for the Austin/Bastrop fire victims. The restaurant is accepting donations as well as water, work gloves, toiletries, non-perishable food items, clothing, trash bags, and flash lights with batteries. Boxes and donation jars will be in the lobby area starting Monday afternoon.
The Austin Disaster Relief Network is currently assisting victims of the fires. Organizers say donations of food and clothing can be taken to any local food bank or charity.
Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc. Disaster Response (LSSDR)is accepting monetary donations for the fire victims here: www.lsss.org/give-now
Cash donations should be made directly to the Red Cross of Central Texas.
Foundation Christian Ministries in Cedar Creek is setting up a donation/supply center on its campus located at 177 Union Chapel Rd. E., Bastrop, TX 78602.
Catholic Charities of Central Texas will accept donations for wildfire victims on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Donations can be brought to the Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center at 6225 Highway 290 East from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Donations will also be accepted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Catholic Charities of Central Texas in Austin at 1817 East Sixth Street. Organizers are asking for donations of the following items:

Medical Supplies
• BP Cuff
• Nebulizer
• Thermometer
• Glucometer
• Pen lights
• Tongue Depressors
• Ibuprofen
• Gauze Wrap
• ACE Bandages
• Neosporin Cream
• Bandages
Other Supplies:
• Sleeping Bags
• Blankets
• Pillows
• Towels
• Shampoo
• Body wash
• Toothpaste
• Paper Plates, Cups, Napkins, Plastic Utensils
• Deodorant Sprays for men and women
• Disposable Razors
• Shaving Cream
• Baby Wipes
• Size 4 Diapers
• Baby Shampoo
• Sanitizer
Donations can be taken to the Click Computers of Georgetown store, located at 1102 S Austin Ave, Suite 109, Georgetown, TX through Friday, Sept. 16.
The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas (CAFB) is requesting assistance in the following ways: Financial donations to CAFB can be made at www.austinfoodbank.org. Funds raised will go directly to helping CAFB in this disaster response. The relief effort will be long-term and monetary donations will be necessary for many months.CAFB food donations can be made at the following locations:
CAFB warehouse located at 8201 S. Congress Avenue, Austin , TX 78745 (8-5 p.m. or leave in boxes on dock outside of those hours)North Donation Spots for CAFB
Georgetown – Caring Place at 2000 Railroad St., Georgetown, TX 78627 — 512-869-473
Round Rock Serving Center at 1099 East Main St., Round Rock, TX 78664 — 512-244-2431
SVDP Round Rock — 620 Round Rock West -Round Rock, TX 78681 — 512-255-2330
To hold a food drive at your workplace, school, church etc., CAFB has large food donation boxes available for pick up at their warehouse. Once filled please return to CAFB or call 512-282-2111 to arrange for a pick up.Most desired food donations are healthy, non-perishable items such as:– Water, Gatorade– Ready to eat meals preferably with pull up or pop tops, e.g. chili, stew, canned pasta w/sauce– Single serving snacks such as protein or granola bars– Lunchables or other single serving foods that do not require refrigeration– Diapers– Baby formula
Other locations taking donations:

350 Discovery Blvd in Cedar Park

Paul Mitchell The School: 15635 Vision Drive, Ste 107, Pflugerville

Hill Country Bible Church: 12124 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin

Catholic Health Association: 6225 E. Highway 290

St. Williams Catholic Church in Round Rock

Learn more things to do with this amazing post, including things to collect for both people and pets, and places in Austin to take them:

http://365thingsaustin.com/2011/09/06/how-you-can-help-fire-victims-donation-locations-what-to-donate/

Network for Good has great organizations that help in case of wildfire:

http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/wildfires/

Sep 5, 2011

Surrounded by Central Texas Wildfires

Deanna / Day in My Life / central texas wildfire, Texas, wildfire /

The gravity of the situation first hit home when my ex-husband texted from where he was camping with my two daughters, “The sky is turning black. We may have to evacuate.”

I hadn’t paid close attention to the fires until that moment. I immediately began clicking on maps (Weather Underground was the best). The fires weren’t super close, but the wind was blowing their direction.

“Thank God for phones with Internet,” came the next text. He knew where the fires were, which direction they were going, and what roads were already closed so they could make their way out. The wind changed direction while they were packing and blew the smoke away.

The next text message came at 1 a.m. when a friend told us, “There is a fire in your neighborhood.”

The map showed a fire only a few blocks away. (This map shows us at the yellow star, the girls’ campground as the pink star.) We stepped outside, but the fire must have already been put out. Most likely something in someone’s back yard. We looked online and saw we were now in a barbeque ban —- no outdoor cooking for Labor Day. The whole city was kindling after months of drought conditions. Even a cigarette butt was dangerous.

Our plans today included a drive around town looking for locations for my annual Christmas shoots for my photography clients. As we drove down Loop 360 on the west side of Austin, we saw this scene and stopped so I could take the shot of the Bastrop fires behind the skyline:

I picked up my daughters, safely home and animated about the drive back from the campground, a ride through varying intensities of smoke. As we drove away from this image of downtown and toward the south, we saw the smoke from the Steiner Ranch fires. Elizabeth, who is nine, said, “It needs to rain or all the world will be on fire.”

LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP THE EVACUEES

Use of this photo for causes related to fundraising for the wildfire victims is fine (flyers, newsletters, blogs, web sites). News media should email me for a higher res file.