from Jack Colley

[Guest guest]

Embedded in this headline is another story, that of Ignacio Reyes, volunteer

fighter in LaSalle County Texas. It is a story that deserves much more than a

short paragraph or two. LaSalle County was hit with nothing less than a

" Wildfire Tsunami " late Friday and into Saturday. VFDs not only from Cotulla but

Dilley, Zavala, Batesville, La Pryor, Dimmit, Encinal, Atascosa County ( Poteet,

Jourdanton, and Charlotte), Webb County, and the City of Laredo Fire Department

responded to a 19,000 acre fire. Except for the City of Laredo, these were all

VFDs from small communities going to a neighbor in need. For all that we do and

we do much, we cannot ever do enough for the Ignacio Reyes who leave their jobs

and in this case their family and go without hesitation to serve others. The

State of Texas is being attacked by these intense wildfires. We could not

respond as we have without the great VFDs we have. Thank all of you for

supporting them in the manner you have. Jack Colley

Texas Gov. Rick asks President Bush for federal aid in wake of wildfires

08:47 AM CST on Sunday, February 3, 2008

Associated Press

AUSTIN – When volunteer firefighter Ignacio Reyes got home from a four-hour

battle with a grassfire on the other side of town, he was greeted with a

horrifying sight: The home he shares with his paralyzed older brother had burned

to the ground.

" It was just smoke, " Reyes, a 40-year-old high school custodian, said Saturday.

" I just panicked and wondered what happened to my brother. Thank God a neighbor

came out and pulled him out. "

Reyes' home was one of seven lost in the 19,000-acre fire that was still burning

Saturday in this town of about 3,600 located about 80 miles south of San

. Another 15 homes had minor damage and 150 had heavy smoke damage,

according to local emergency officials. There were no deaths or injuries

reported Saturday.

The fire, which destroyed the buildings Thursday, was about 70 percent contained

by Saturday night, said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman .

It was one of numerous fires around the state for which Gov. Rick

requested federal aid Saturday. In a letter to President Bush, identified

184 Texas counties threatened or impacted by wildfires this week in asking for a

presidential disaster declaration for the state.

The governor's office said Saturday that 75 wildfires have destroyed 60 homes

and structures and burned at least 70,000 acres. More than half the counties in

the state have been under recent burn bans.

also added 31 counties to his state disaster proclamation issued earlier

this week. A presidential disaster declaration would make the state eligible for

federal aid.

The governor's office said more high winds and dry conditions favorable to

wildfires are expected to continue through next week.

" As wildfires continue to rage across our state, Texas is reaching its capacity

to respond to these emergencies and is in need of federal assistance, "

said in the letter.

Among the hardest-hit counties is LaSalle, where Cotulla is the county seat.

Wildfires are common enough in this part of South Texas that Reyes said

volunteers get about 80 calls a year. But Reyes said this one is far from

common.

" This is the biggest one we've seen, " he said. " And I've been here most my

life. "