Texas Drought And Wildfires: Before And After The Severe Weather (INTERACTIVE PHOTO)

Texas is dry. Really dry.

This has been the worst drought in Texas since the 1950's, and the drought has been a perfect breeding ground for wildfires, which have broken out across the state.

In response to the severe weather, President Obama has declared a state of emergency and approved federal aid for those impacted by Texas wildfires.

The photos below, courtesy of Google and GeoEye, show the impact of the Texas wildfires and drought.

Slide your mouse left and right on the first image below to view Lake Whitney in North Central Texas before and after the wildfires and drought.

A fire near the lake "destroyed six homes and several structures" last Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

The first, greener-looking image shows the lake in 2008. The second image shows the lake after the Texas wildfires: both the shoreline expands and the greenery fades away.

The other photos show the impact of the severe weather on two other locations in Texas: Sweetwater and Bastrop.

Lake Whitney:

Sweetwater:

Bastrop:

Comments

[roses4myluv]

09:19 AM on 09/13/2011

I live in Texas I have seen the smoke plumes from where I live .. It's tinder box dry out here ..
another hot day of 105 then maybe if we are lucky some rain this weekend .. But with that comes high winds too .. I have watched in horror while I see on the news daily people who have lost their homes .. I have helped to rescue horses from their stables while the fires raged on . I have seen the tear solked faces of the people who have lost everything .. Then they turn and see their families and smile .. What they cry over is the memories they have lost in pictires maybe quilts their great Grandmother has made for them before she passed .. Then they turn and thank God that their familes are safe .. It's all mixed emotions when all you have worked for all your life or you where handed down from one generation to the next is up in smoke ..
they / we feel helpless nothing much we can do .. I went helped went home hugged my children thankful we have our home . sometimes I'm sorry is all any one can offer . the firefighters who work endlessly to fight this fire and all of the fires Voulenteer or paid Thank you

[Al Kero]

08:15 AM on 09/13/2011

Why don't we build pipelines from areas that flood to areas that have drought? We pimp oil from the gulf coast all the way to Maine, why not water?

[sonofsamphm1c]

12:42 PM on 09/13/2011

pimp!

Scale. You're talking a very big pipe.

[Al Kero]

08:11 AM on 09/13/2011

Maybe cigarette smoking and other types of activity that can start forest fires should be banned in certain areas during drought season.

[Jon Malone]

03:46 AM on 09/13/2011

so one dude flicks a ciggarette into the woods and causes all of this, but those that do not beleive in climate change think NOT ONE HUMAN CAN AFFECT NATURE....then what the hell do you call this? i think wild fires are the easiest example that man can and is destroying its own home and habitat.

[SpookyAnnya]

01:40 AM on 09/13/2011

My deepest sympathy for the families displaced by these wildfires. I have not heard of big shelters housing the homeless from the fires or how to help texas funds being set up. I went to La. after Katrina to give nursing care but Ive not seen the needs in Texas in the media for such things. Losing everything in a fire is just devastating.

[IncludeMeOut]

10:19 AM on 09/13/2011

The Gov cut funding for firefighters, and hates the feds.

[dmgg711]

12:42 AM on 09/13/2011

I I could say that God must be mad at Perry to let these fires destroy homes and forests since he believes God has a divine lesson we are being taught.

Governor Rick Perry: “Right now, America is in crisis: we have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. As a nation, we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles, and thank Him for the blessings of freedom we so richly enjoy.”

I hope all who lost their homes and maybe lives, can find some consolation with his faith. When is he going to use some of his ‘emergency funds’ to help the fire victims?

President Obama to the rescue: In response to the severe weather, President Obama has declared a state of emergency and approved federal aid for those impacted by Texas wildfires.

[David R Schnake]

10:32 PM on 09/12/2011

Politics are ruining the state our firefighters are sacrificing themselves to save!

[Rusty Wittmann]

11:23 PM on 09/12/2011

Your comment is only indicative of how skewed one's thoughts can become when the bearer is mired in ignorance and self-loathing. You must be a hoot at parties (assuming you would ever be invited to one).

[Eleventh Hour]

09:34 PM on 09/12/2011

browpeter
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My daughter and her boyfriend and two kids lost their home and everythin in it. Try and explain to a 3 and 4 year old who lost their mom to cancer a year and a half ago

................................................................Comments like the one above make the tas teless posts of the insensitive look pretty pet ty right now. Where are the Americans who care about each other? Perry generously arranged for masses of Katrina victims to come to Texas, be fed, clothed, sheltered, receive medical care, etc, and thousands of them chose to make Tx their permanent residence. This is what our country is supposed to be about. I hope no one ever has to battle a fire, even those who make the cr ude comments.

[Kristen Czerwonka]

09:33 PM on 09/12/2011

God Bless the people of Texas. Most of us cannot even begin to imagine your devastation.

[ebeebb]

09:30 PM on 09/12/2011

God bless the Forest Service firefighters who have been in Texas all summer long and who were working on this fire and many others. God Bless those who lost everything. My heart is breaking for you all. SHAME ON anyone making this a political issue.

[Eleventh Hour]

09:35 PM on 09/12/2011

Thank you, and we appreciate you.

[opiniongirl18]

10:05 PM on 09/12/2011

ME 2 I APRECIATED WHAT YOU SAY

[pineappaloupe]

09:43 PM on 09/12/2011

They should have seceded.

[Eleventh Hour]

09:24 PM on 09/12/2011

Some of the comments make me especially glad to be living in a state where people do care about each other, instead of taking pot shots at people who are battling something so serious. When your friends' homes have burned or when your own volunteer firefighters come home after dealing with some of this, the pettiness of some people is put into proper perspective.

[Eleventh Hour]

09:12 PM on 09/12/2011

To clear up the erroneous article that was run yesterday for blogging, there was a lot of misinformation in it, and omissions of even one word like "VOLUNTEER" can change the meaning profoundly.

it is the VOLUNTEER firefighters who purchase and then file for reimbursement of gear, but the term "VOLUNTEER" was omitted. Many states who DO NOT REIMBURSE are behind Texas on this one.

We have two VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS in our family, one of which is also a medic.

Accuracy is everything, especially in print.

[fd909]

04:02 AM on 09/13/2011

God Bless your firefighters, and keep them safe.
A brother in Texas

[usmcr32yr]

08:03 AM on 09/13/2011

You are so correct . I have been a volunteer for over 20 years . The article said we have to buy our own fuel to get to the station . You get there in your personal vehicle , just like a paid firefighter . This was a very poorly written article . What do people think we pass the hat to get money to buy a new hose ? We have more equipment than we have room for ,a lot of it is in storage . The only thing we are short of is volunteers .

[Eleventh Hour]

09:02 PM on 09/12/2011

kaki40

I wish my comments were getting posted like yours are.

I have two family members who are VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, and to correct the article that was a topic for blogging yesterday, it's the VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS who are purchasing their own replacement gear and then filing to the state for reimbursement.

Not all states do reimburse but TX does. It was a very misinformed writer that produced that article.

[clarkkentdlyplnt]

08:46 PM on 09/12/2011

My last post just came up. 24 minutes for a post to clear the cen..er... monitors.