Officials have ordered the evacuation of Mingus and Gordon, Texas, six miles to the north of us.
10:51 p.m. I have returned from Gordon and Mingus. Fire trucks are concentrating at Gordon. It’s fairly pacific there. Russell Stowe Ford Company seems to be moving all of their vehicles out of the building to another location. Some people are huddled at the volunteer fire department building.
The game warden said that our ranchito — south of Gordon six miles — would probably be okay and not to worry. He did state that the situation was serious or they wouldn’t have issued the evacuation order. Obviously, I thought to myself. Not much help there.
I went to Mingus and the bars were open and still serving drinks and the lights are on. A Burlington-Santa Fe freight train came roaring through town as I circled the Mule Lip Bar, so at least the railway tracks are presently clear between Mingus and Abilene. I much prefer Mingus to Gordon.
I came back to our ranch on the south access road of Interstate 20 and I saw in the distance the glow of the fire north of Mingus-Gordon. I estimate it was at least fifteen to twenty miles away, maybe more.
The wind has died down, probably around ten m.p.h. I can look directly up in the sky and see the moon despite the smoke.
Sage to Meadow ~ Jack Matthews 