23 replies to this topic

[Brian Luenser]

Pretty fun 4th of July in Fort Worth. (How many Cities have Willie Nelson putting on a picnic)

I have been watching them setting up for fireworks tonight. This is on the Trinity behind La Grave Field. It is always pretty great but tonight is bigger than normal. (Huge picnic, Cats game etc...)

I couldn't help myself labeling the Pyrotechnics pieces being set up. It seemed pretty familiar to me and then I realized why. I was an Intelligence Specialist in the Navy. (DOD schooling at Lowry AFB in Denver) One of my main jobs was analyzing aerial imagery. (We had satellite imagery then but still used lots of photo imagery. They still do.) I would annotate photos of Surface to air missile sites of "Certain Cold War adversaries". It looked about like this crude photo layout here. But Aerial, surface to air, boom-boom. A bit familiar.

Enjoy the fireworks tonight. 235 great years and counting.

[John S.]

Brian,
Happy July 4th to you and yours! Since we are almost dead center opposite LaGrave Field across the Trinity we always have a wonderful view of the July 4th Fireworks Show as well as the occasional short duration fireworks shows when the Cats are playing at home. Our son has invited a few friends to view the show and we usually welcome folks who park their cars nearby to set up their seats as well. (hint, hint, to FW Forumers ) So long as there's room, all can enjoy the show. Despite this free "fireworks" perk, it hasn't helped us to sell our property yet, lol. Wish we could also see Willy do his Billy Bob's show as I doubt we can look forward to many more from that aging but still energetic Texas musical legend. If it were a bit cooler, this would be a perfect Fourth of July in Fort Worth.

[Brian Luenser]

Happy Independence Day to you John S. I was looking for you across the river with my telescope. I should have had you shine your spot light on a tree top...

Wife had her St. Patrick's Nun friends over to watch fireworks. They are from the Philippines but really get into America and her birthday. A lot of fun. Wish it was not a work night...

[Cowtown Mike]

Nice shots as usual. You know your view makes me jealous, but don't stop taking those pictures.

Mike

[Brian Luenser]

Thank you Mike.

I am loving the new place. But I am still adjusting to the 28th floor. Would seem the same to most people but as I am used to the 34th floor I feel like I am on the 4th floor of an apartment complex. With a great view.

4 more shots to close out July 4th. Check out the crowds...

[817.TX.]

Nice pics fellas! We had a blast out at Legrave field! Definately make it a annual thing!!

[AndyN]

No VIP seating this year? I wonder if this reflects the shakeup at TRWD/TRVA? 

 

https://fortworthsfourth.com/

 

https://www.fortwort...022/6/fw-fourth

 

(I was never a fan of VIP seating for a public sponsored event)

[Jeriat]

This thread just reminds me of good a year 2011 was... 

[Dylan]

Is anyone planning to attend Fort Worth's Fourth this year? I'm planning to attend.

 

Although I've seen Fort Worth's firework show several times, this will be my first time watching Fort Worth's firework show from the event itself.

[Austin55]

Is anyone planning to attend Fort Worth's Fourth this year? I'm planning to attend.

 

Although I've seen Fort Worth's firework show several times, this will be my first time watching Fort Worth's firework show from the event itself.

 

Welp, that didn't go well. 

[elpingüino]

Pictures of the grass fires:

https://twitter.com/...150725613129729


https://twitter.com/...214096488308736

[roverone]

It seems like when I was younger they would be out there for a few days before hand spraying all of the grass over and over with water to limit this kind of thing on the night-of.  Surely they still do that.  It kind of seems like there was not quite enough situational planing here, like very very close-cropped mowing, or even a small controlled burn in advance for the likely area of ignition.  With conditions known in advance, it doesn't seem like a big event like this should succumb to such a likely outcome.

[John T Roberts]

It's my understanding that the area was hosed down for several days prior to July 4th.  Obviously, the grass was so dry that this did not even do anything to keep the fires from starting.  Maybe in years to come, if the rainfall has been this low, they cancel the event in plenty of time for patrons to prepare for it.  Some cities are going to drone shows.  Maybe this could be an option.

[Stadtplan]

It seems like when I was younger they would be out there for a few days before hand spraying all of the grass over and over with water to limit this kind of thing on the night-of.  Surely they still do that.  It kind of seems like there was not quite enough situational planing here, like very very close-cropped mowing, or even a small controlled burn in advance for the likely area of ignition.  With conditions known in advance, it doesn't seem like a big event like this should succumb to such a likely outcome.

 

While biking along the Trinity yesterday morning towards Arts Park, I noticed there was plenty of breeze out of the south.  In the back of my mind I thought this could spell trouble for 4th of July celebrations considering the somewhat dry conditions.

[JBB]

The area on the north side of downtown got a pretty good pop up rain shower on Saturday afternoon.  Obviously not enough to make up for the temperature and dry weather of the last 8 weeks, but it was something.  There was also a bit of a breeze at 9:30 last night.  I guess I would question how nearly every other professional, public display in the area managed to pull theirs off without setting a fire so bad that they had to call it off halfway through.  I get a bit of a laugh out of Bud Kennedy using this occasion to showcase his new status as a watchdog over the water district after staying silent through years of TRV shenanigans.

[Austin55]

Before the fireworks show a fire broke out over behind Coyote.

 

Fireworks before the main show.

 

 

The Panther Island show was short, but was good before it got cancelled. I also liked that the earlier start time allowed for some sunset to sneak into photo. In the pic below you can see the actual firework that set of the grassfire to the East of the levee.

 

 

Here's the fire at the greatest extent. 

 

[elpingüino]

I guess I would question how nearly every other professional, public display in the area managed to pull theirs off without setting a fire so bad that they had to call it off halfway through.

The Hudson Oaks display had grass fire(s) too: https://twitter.com/...144110331756544
https://twitter.com/...140892419899399

[JBB]

Thats why I said nearly. More went off without issues than with.

[Stadtplan]

Austin55, this is some nice photography.  Were you taking it with long exposure from your drone?  Almost looks like you on top of Pier One.

[Dylan]

Crews got all of the fires extinguished about 4 minutes after declaring the event over and telling people to leave.

 

About 10 minutes after that, they lit off the remainder of a specific type of fireworks, followed by the remainder of another specific type of fireworks.

 

It's disappointing they didn't resume the full fireworks show. From what I was told, the winds were stronger than anticipated, making it more difficult to put out the fires than anticipated.

 

I guess that's what I get for attending the official show instead of the illegal show that Riverside residents put on. I wonder if they started any fires...

[JBB]

The fire department had over 200 grass or brush fire calls before midnight. Even if the illegal Riverside fireworks didnt start a fire, plenty did.

[Stadtplan]

I read some comments online that traffic control was an issue getting out of the parking lots. One guy said they waited an hour? Wondered if anyone else experienced this or if it was blown out of proportion?

[JBB]

I can't imagine that's any worse than normal.  You put that many people in that small of an area and no amount of traffic control can get rid of the gridlock.  I went to a suburban display at a park with probably a quarter of the attendance of Fort Worth's and it took us 30 minutes to get out.

[Austin55]

Henderson/Jacksboro, Weatherford, Belknap and Summit all looked pretty clogged up, but thats typical.

Henderson/Jacksboro is really the only street that accesses most of the parking lots for the event so it jams up really bad, Im not surprised by people waiting an hour plus.

I parked in the chase bank garage (free) and walked a half mile to the waterfront. There was no traffic issues leaving from there if you know which downtown streets to avoid.