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Five wildfires in and around Donley County have burned more than 800 acres since July 9, with the biggest fire consuming 475 acres south of Hedley.

Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department First Assistant Chief Jeremy Powell says eight city units responded to the big fire on the Finch Ranch and Quail Trail Ranch on July 13, and firemen were on the scene from 2:06 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Hedley responded with three units, and assistance also came from Wellington, Memphis, and Samnorwood.

Donley County Precincts #1, #3, and #4 sent motor graders, and TxDOT responded with
three motor graders and three dozers. The Texas and US forest services responded with Task Force 16 based out of Childress consisting of two dozers and two engines. Air Attack out of Amarillo responded and directed two SEATS (Single Engine Air Tankers) that were based out of the Childress Airport.

Clarendon EMS assisted with firefighter rehab, and the Donley County Sheriff’s Office and Constable Doug Wright assisted with traffic and incoming mutual aid units.

Powell said the grass fire was started by a lightning storm that occurred on July 11 and 12. The Finch Ranch headquarters was threatened by this fire. Clarendon firemen while on the scene also responded to a second fire caused by lightning on the Finch Ranch, which was still smoldering.

The Clarendon Firebelles handled food and drinks for all involved. Several local ranchers also assisted with this fire.

“The Clarendon Fire Department greatly appreciates and relies on the help and support of the public and is accepting donations of bottled drinking water and Gatorade which may be dropped off at Clarendon City Hall or given to any of our members,” Powell said.

“Financial support is always greatly appreciated as well as the cost of these recent fires has been estimated at $14,489 for Clarendon VFD alone which includes supplies and operating cost of our fire trucks,” he said.

Powell said his department also asks the public to remember the Hedley and Howardwick departments as well as our neighboring departments that support them whenever they need help.

Earlier in the month, the Clarendon VFD was dispatched to a fire on Tim Merrill’s property on FM 2162 on July 9. Firemen were dispatched at 4:10 p.m. and were on the scene until 9:30 p.m. The grass fire started by lightning and burned approximately 40 acres. Several home and outbuildings were threatened but not damaged. Clarendon VFD responded with eight units assisted by Donley County Precincts #1 and #4 motor graders. The Associated Ambulance Authority, Donley County Sheriff’s Office and Texas DPS also assisted.

Also on July 9, the department was dispatched at 9:30 p.m. to County Road UU in Briscoe County to assist the Silverton Fire Department with a grass fire started by lightning which burned approximately 150 acres. One home and several outbuildings were threatened. Clarendon responded to the mutual aid call with five units and were on the scene until midnight, and Memphis and Turkey also assisted.

Another grass fire on July 11 along CR E and SH 273 south of McLean was also started by lightning and burned approximately 125 acres. Clarendon responded with five units and was assisted by Hedley and McLean. Volunteer firemen were dispatched at 7:10 p.m. and were on scene until midnight.

In the early morning hours of July 12, Clarendon volunteer firemen were called to CR P and CR 12, just east of Sawyer Hay Farms and the Greenbelt Water Authority Filter Plant where a grass fire had been started by lightning. Approximately 55 acres burned, and firemen were dispatched at 2:38 a.m. and were on scene until 6 a.m.

Clarendon responded with seven units and was assisted by Howardwick and Donley County Precincts #1 and #4 motor graders and one TxDOT motor grader. This fire threatened the Greenbelt Water Authority facilities on State Hwy 70.

“The fire department received multiple more calls of lightning fires during this fire but thankfully they were put out by rain,” Powell reported.

Citizens are still urged to remain very vigilant when it comes to preventing wildfires. Donley County, and indeed most of the state, remains under a burn ban as hot, dry conditions persist.

The voluntary water restrictions suggested by the City of Clarendon due to drought and water shortage conditions are affecting the lifestyles of many citizens.
For Peter and Marilyn Odima, residents of Clarendon for 12 years, the water restriction hinders their lawn care routine.

“This is the first year they’ve cut us down like this,” Marilyn said. “We spend money buying plants to make our yard look good, and I spend a lot of time working on it. Everyone tells me it looks nice, and I don’t want it to die.”

The Odimas said their exceptionally high water bill this month is due to the heat.
“We water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the water bill has never been this high.” Marilyn said. “When there are 107°-114° temperatures, it’s hard not to water your lawn if you want it to look good. I don’t want to have to replace my plants that will die.”

Joe’s Lawn and Tree Care is one business that is slightly affected by the water shortage.

“I’ve lost some business by it, but I’ve also gained business,” Joe Hall said. “More trees are dying and they need me to trim the branches. It’s definitely affected me, not necessarily in a negative way though.”

City Administrator Lambert Little said that citizens need to be aware of the severe conditions of the level three drought and the need for a 30 percent reduction in water usage.

“According to Greenbelt Water Authority General Manager Bobbie Kidd, we’re expected to be at stage four by August, which will be emergency conditions,” Little said. “If this happens, then the Greenbelt Water Authority will have the right to allocate water to all customers.”

In order to avoid a penalty if the City exceeds the allocation, Little asks citizens to comply with the water restriction requests. Last month Clarendon consumed 16,880,000 gallons of water while Hedley consumed 3,383,000 gallons.

“Be conservative while doing simple tasks like brushing your teeth,” he said. “Small savings will really add up. In stage four conditions, the City would have to prohibit car washing or even watering the lawn because we need drinking water.”

Little will present water overuse penalties at the public hearing on July 26 at 6:00
p.m.

“I don’t want to penalize people, but we’ve got to reduce consumption,” Little said. “We just don’t have the supply.”

Clarendon ISD Superintendent Monty Hysinger said the school has its own well.
“I’m certainly glad our school has this well because we need to keep our lawn up since we get heavy traffic, especially during ball games,” he said.

“We’ll have to get with the City to work out a watering schedule for the baseball and softball fields.”

Clarendon College also has its own well.

“Even though we’re not with the city [water], we’re still going to work with our maintenance crew to set up a water schedule,” Annette Ferguson, Dean of Administrative Services at Clarendon College, said.
For citizens who are concerned about their lawns, Hall said he has one suggestion.

“Leave your grass about two and a half to three inches long,” he said. “This helps the grass hold moisture and creates its own ecosystem.”

Hysinger agrees with the water restrictions and now only waters his yard on his designated days: Thursdays and Sundays.

“We need to do this because we have no other choice,” he said. “Even if it makes it hard to keep your yard up, it’s just one of those years and times. We’re all in this together.”

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Board awarded its eleventh cash award under its Façade Grant Program this week.

The most recent award from the CEDC was for improvements to the building now occupied by Ronna’s Creations at 315 S. Kearney, and the total awarded was $685.65.

Property owner San Thompson had previously received a façade grant for a building
next door and was therefore aware of the program when he began the process of constructing a new awning and repainting last December.

“I think anyone who doesn’t take advantage of [the façade grant program] is crazy,” Thompson said. “You improve your building, the CEDC pays for half of it, and it makes a better place for the merchant.”

Ronna Newman, who rents Thompson’s building for the boutique she has operated since December, says she thinks the improvements have helped the building.
“It looks good and makes it stand out,” Newman said.

The CEDC has budgeted $10,000 for this fiscal year’s Façade Grant Program, which provides fifty-fifty matching grants up to a maximum of $2,000 per project for properties on a three-block stretch of Kearney Street. Projects eligible for consideration could be anything from a coat of paint to new signage to a complete rehabilitation of a storefront.

This fiscal year ends September 30, 2011, and the CEDC Board may consider changes to the program before renewing it for next year.

Those interested in the grants are asked to apply prior to beginning a project, and applications are available from CEDC Secretary Roger Estlack at The Clarendon Enterprise.

Since the Façade Grant Program began in 2008, the CEDC has awarded $11,099.80.