Woke up this morning in Corpus Christi (200 miles south of Austin) and stepped outside to find a strong smoke/campfire smell and entire city covered in a thin smoky haze.

Picture of the smoke in Corpus Christi
IMAGE ( [link to i56.tinypic.com] )


Stiff and steady winds are blowing the smoke from the brushfire outside of Austin all the way south to the coast. The fire is now covering 16,000 acres

[link to austin.ynn.com]

Friend posted on Facebook this morning that the animal shelter in Bastrop is evacuating all it's animals to keep them from being burned alive as the fire quickly spreads. Thing is they don't have a place to put all these guys in the meantime.

"URGENT!!!! HELP NEEDED NOW! The Bastrop Animal Shelter is evacuating due to this fire. Austin Pets Alive! is taking 75% of the animals (AHS is taking the remaining 25%). APA needs dog and cat fosters RIGHT NOW at 2807 Manchaca Road"

If you're in the Austin area and can take in a cat or a dog help is needed.

I know there is already a thread about the homes destroyed in this fire but I figured the situation with the critters needing help was important enough for it's own space.