Texas Burns as the Rest of the Country (USA) Drowns

First Texas was parched—now it's burning. Still in the grips of its worst drought since the 1950s, Texas is grappling with violent wildfires that have already destroyed more than 1,000 homes and killed two people.

While more than 3.6 million acres of Texas have been scorched since the drought tightened last November, over the weekend authorities responded to 63 new fires, the worst of which burned just east of the capital of Austin.

Texas Governor Rick Perry was forced to leave the Presidential campaign trail on Monday, returning home from South Carolina to help oversee the rescue efforts.

As Texas endures wildfires and a drought that shows no sign of letting up, much of the rest of the country has been deluged with water.

Upstate New York and Vermont are just now beginning to recover from the flooding caused by Hurricane Irene, and earlier in the year upper Midwest farmland experienced crop-destroying floods.

With a little less than four months to go, 2011 is already shaping up to be one of the most expensive years for natural disasters in U.S. history.

The fires of Texas and the floods of the Northeast are a reminder that the weather threats America will face in the years to come will be as diverse as they are dangerous—which just makes the need for preparation all the more important.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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