As dawn broke this morning, the extent of the July 4th fire in the Forest Cove townhomes became apparent. It appears that the blaze affected three, or possibly four, of the northernmost townhomes on Timberline Drive. At least one of the units still smoldered when I took these pictures around 9 a.m. this morning.
On the morning of July 5th, you could smell the smoke two blocks away.It appears that the fire caused at least one unit to collapse inward on itself.Close up of northernmost unit still standing.Fire burned through the roof in places.The force of fire hoses may have displaced these shingles. The fire did not appear to spread this far.Photo of same units from back side on Timberline Court shows fire damage to at least three townhomes.Close up from center portion of shot above.Note how even the globe of the streetlight on the right appears to have partially melted. Close up from shot above.Also note the relatively straight burn line.Meanwhile, outside the townhomes that burned on Aqua Vista last Sunday, people have already begun illegally dumping used carpet.
Last night, equipment and firefighters from several Houston Fire Department stations lined up for blocks to fight and contain this fire. It was the second fire in this area this week and at least the third this year. When more than 17 feet of water swept through the townhomes during Harvey, they became uninhabitable.
No Electricity or Gas to Area
Former owners say the electricity and gas have been cut off since Harvey. Since then, the townhomes have become the domain of vandals, squatters, drug dealers and graffiti artists.
FEMA, through Harris County Flood Control, is buying out the properties. But the process is voluntary, long, and cumbersome. They treat each unit in a multi-unit complex, such as this one, as an individual sale. Only when buyouts for all townhomes in a complex are complete, can Flood Control schedule demolition.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/TimberlineFire_01.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-07-05 12:15:262019-07-05 12:28:22Pictures of Aftermath of July 4th Fire in Forest Cove Townhomes
Approximately 10 pieces of fire equipment as well as ambulances responded tonight to yet another fire at the Forest Cove Townhomes. This is the second fire this week and at least the third this year at a large complex that has been abandoned since it was engulfed by Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters.
Earlier this week, fire consumed another part of the complex on Aqua Vista Street. Tonight, it destroyed more townhomes in the same area between Timberline Court and Timberline Drive where the latter intersects Marina Drive.
I could not get close for safety reasons, but managed to capture the images below with a wide-aperture Nikon telephoto lens.
Abandoned townhomes on Timberline Drive, photographed from Marina Drive in Forest Cove.Houston Fire Department was spraying water from this elevated position to suppress the fire. Additional units were spraying water on the flames from the groundas you can see in the next photo.Fire equipment was dousing the flames from multiple angles to keep the fire from spreading.
Massive Fire Department Response
Fire equipment and ambulances lined up for four blocks. From Marina and Timberline, they went up to Hamblen. Additionally, equipment blocked half of Hamblen for another block.
Cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Nor is it known whether there were any injuries.
Need to Accelerate Buyouts and Plan Alternative Uses
This underscores the need to accelerate buyouts in this area and tear down these abandoned buildings. They have become a haven for drug dealers, squatters and vandals.
Ironically, I was responding to questions about my last post on this subject – i.e., what to do with this area – when readers alerted me to this new fire.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/5/2019
675 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MarinaTwnhms_04-1.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2019-07-04 23:56:512019-07-05 00:14:39Second Fire in Week at Forest Cove Townhomes
It appears that dredging of the mouth bar of the San Jacinto West Fork has officially begun. Two weeks ago, I reported that the Great Lakes dredge had maneuvered into position. Then this weekend, residents started sending me pictures taken from the river showing equipment in operation.
Mouth Bar Imagery from RD Kissling
RD Kissling, a Lake Houston area resident and geologist, who first helped bring the mouth bar to the public’s attention sent me the photo and video below last week. “The dredge is up and running,” he said.
The image with the canoe below, Kissling said, “This is me standing in shin deep water about 200 yards south of the exposed mouth bar, looking north towards the bar and Scenic Shores. There is another small channel about 20 yards south of me then the bar shoals again.”
Lake Houston Area geologist RD Kissling standing in shin-deep water 200 yards south of the mouth bar. This image, more than any other I have seen, dramatizes how critical the need for dredging has become...and how hilarious the Romerica proposal is to build a marina for more than 600 40-foot yachts.Video shot by RD Kissling from the southernmost exposed portion of the mouth bar. Starts looking west towards the dredge then swings around to the east.
Mouth Bar Images from Today Shot by Jeff Kristoff
Then Jeff Kristoff, a Kingwood resident, sent me the pictures below today. They show an excavator on the upstream end of the bar and dredging equipment immediately south of the bar. It appears there may be two excavators breaking up vegetative growth and sediment. Farther upstream, near River Grove Park, dredgers reportedly ran into submerged logs that had been covered by sand.
The loops in the pipelines will allow the dredge to maneuver up and downstream as it works.Note first of two excavators in background breaking up vegetation at edge of mouth bar.Excavators can also be used to more or lift pipe for repairs.
Ultimate Plans Still Not Announced Yet
Exactly where or how much the Corps and its partners plan to dredge has not yet been announced. The Corps last issued a press release for the project on June 10, three weeks ago, and has not yet responded to a Freedom-of-Information-Act request for the dredging plans.
Because it’s hard to believe that the U.S. Army would move on a project this large without a plan, I can only conclude that all parties have not yet reached an agreement on volume and a permit for placement of the sediment.
For the time being, it looks as though the Corps will use Placement Area 2 on Sorters Road…at least initially. Pumping ALL of the sediment 10 miles upstream would hike the cost hugely because it would require at least 5 booster pumps. Each uses 1000 gallons of diesel per day.
For speculation on where and how much they might dredge, see this post.
Posted by Bob Rehak on July 4, 2019, with images and video from RD Kissling and Jeff Kristoff
674 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Kristoff-Mouth-Bar-4-copy-2.jpg?fit=1500%2C704&ssl=17041500adminadmin2019-07-03 21:40:422019-07-03 21:40:53Mouth Bar Dredging Begins
Pictures of Aftermath of July 4th Fire in Forest Cove Townhomes
As dawn broke this morning, the extent of the July 4th fire in the Forest Cove townhomes became apparent. It appears that the blaze affected three, or possibly four, of the northernmost townhomes on Timberline Drive. At least one of the units still smoldered when I took these pictures around 9 a.m. this morning.
Last night, equipment and firefighters from several Houston Fire Department stations lined up for blocks to fight and contain this fire. It was the second fire in this area this week and at least the third this year. When more than 17 feet of water swept through the townhomes during Harvey, they became uninhabitable.
No Electricity or Gas to Area
Former owners say the electricity and gas have been cut off since Harvey. Since then, the townhomes have become the domain of vandals, squatters, drug dealers and graffiti artists.
FEMA, through Harris County Flood Control, is buying out the properties. But the process is voluntary, long, and cumbersome. They treat each unit in a multi-unit complex, such as this one, as an individual sale. Only when buyouts for all townhomes in a complex are complete, can Flood Control schedule demolition.
The area will never be developed again. However, FEMA buyout deed restrictions do allow some flexibility. These pictures underscore the urgency to complete the buyout process and transform this area into something new with social value.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/5/2016
675 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Second Fire in Week at Forest Cove Townhomes
Approximately 10 pieces of fire equipment as well as ambulances responded tonight to yet another fire at the Forest Cove Townhomes. This is the second fire this week and at least the third this year at a large complex that has been abandoned since it was engulfed by Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters.
Earlier this week, fire consumed another part of the complex on Aqua Vista Street. Tonight, it destroyed more townhomes in the same area between Timberline Court and Timberline Drive where the latter intersects Marina Drive.
I could not get close for safety reasons, but managed to capture the images below with a wide-aperture Nikon telephoto lens.
Massive Fire Department Response
Fire equipment and ambulances lined up for four blocks. From Marina and Timberline, they went up to Hamblen. Additionally, equipment blocked half of Hamblen for another block.
Cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Nor is it known whether there were any injuries.
Need to Accelerate Buyouts and Plan Alternative Uses
This underscores the need to accelerate buyouts in this area and tear down these abandoned buildings. They have become a haven for drug dealers, squatters and vandals.
Ironically, I was responding to questions about my last post on this subject – i.e., what to do with this area – when readers alerted me to this new fire.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 7/5/2019
675 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Mouth Bar Dredging Begins
It appears that dredging of the mouth bar of the San Jacinto West Fork has officially begun. Two weeks ago, I reported that the Great Lakes dredge had maneuvered into position. Then this weekend, residents started sending me pictures taken from the river showing equipment in operation.
Mouth Bar Imagery from RD Kissling
RD Kissling, a Lake Houston area resident and geologist, who first helped bring the mouth bar to the public’s attention sent me the photo and video below last week. “The dredge is up and running,” he said.
The image with the canoe below, Kissling said, “This is me standing in shin deep water about 200 yards south of the exposed mouth bar, looking north towards the bar and Scenic Shores. There is another small channel about 20 yards south of me then the bar shoals again.”
Mouth Bar Images from Today Shot by Jeff Kristoff
Then Jeff Kristoff, a Kingwood resident, sent me the pictures below today. They show an excavator on the upstream end of the bar and dredging equipment immediately south of the bar. It appears there may be two excavators breaking up vegetative growth and sediment. Farther upstream, near River Grove Park, dredgers reportedly ran into submerged logs that had been covered by sand.
Ultimate Plans Still Not Announced Yet
Exactly where or how much the Corps and its partners plan to dredge has not yet been announced. The Corps last issued a press release for the project on June 10, three weeks ago, and has not yet responded to a Freedom-of-Information-Act request for the dredging plans.
Because it’s hard to believe that the U.S. Army would move on a project this large without a plan, I can only conclude that all parties have not yet reached an agreement on volume and a permit for placement of the sediment.
For the time being, it looks as though the Corps will use Placement Area 2 on Sorters Road…at least initially. Pumping ALL of the sediment 10 miles upstream would hike the cost hugely because it would require at least 5 booster pumps. Each uses 1000 gallons of diesel per day.
For speculation on where and how much they might dredge, see this post.
Posted by Bob Rehak on July 4, 2019, with images and video from RD Kissling and Jeff Kristoff
674 Days since Hurricane Harvey