Ike Update From TPWD: State Parks Host 4,000 Evacuees, Game Wardens Staged For Rescue-Recovery

Tom Harvey, 512-389-4453, tom.harvey@tpwd.texas.gov

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11:45 a.m. CDT — Update 4

Note: This item is more than 15 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.

Below is information sent by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the Governor’s Press Office today. The governor’s office is coordinating official communication about Ike for the State of Texas, including TPWD activities. The following information is provided as a service and convenience for TPWD’s audience. For complete information, see the Texas governor’s web site at http://governor.state.tx.us/, or news media may phone the press office at (512) 463-1826.

Regarding Texas State Parks, close to 4,000 Ike evacuees are now staying at 36 state parks outside the storm’s path, as listed below. Garner State Park has far and away the most, with 1,650 evacuees, at least half of those from the Houston area. Garner is known to be popular among Houston visitors, where some families and groups have returned every spring or summer for years. Most other evacuees are clustered at Hill Country parks like Inks Lake (415) and Pedernales Falls (135), but others are spread across Texas as far away as Davis Mountains (5) and Lake Arrowhead (39). Dozens of other parks in Southeast and East Texas are closed due to Ike, with the latest info online (tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/hurricane).

Evacuees from storm-damaged areas are allowed to tent camp or stay in RVs or campers at no cost in Texas State Parks, and they may stay in cabins or screen shelters at discounted rates. The latest information on parks closed or accepting evacuees is available through the TPWD Web site (tpwd.texas.gov/site/emergency). The public can also phone individual state parks to see whether a park is closed or accepting evacuees.

Texas Game Wardens/TPWD Law Enforcement Division

  • TPWD has more than 180 game wardens and associated boats and equipment deployed in Southeast Texas and prepared to respond as soon as weather conditions permit. That includes 150 game wardens in place in the region, and a strike team of approximately 30 wardens in Robertson County prepared to enter affected areas when weather permits.
  • In addition, seven strike teams of 10 game wardens and one captain each have assembled from regions across the state. Those 70 wardens are ready to deploy tomorrow and be self-sustaining for five days when activated by the State Operations Center. All 500 game wardens statewide are preparing to deploy if needed.
  • Capt. Rod Ousley of the TPWD Beaumont office and eight game wardens worked in Bridge City and Orange mid-day with airboats and had completed 50 rescue by 4 p.m.
  • Strike Team One, a team of about 30 game wardens from outside coastal regions formed days ago, left its base in Robertson County late this morning. By 4 p.m. they met with coastal game wardens west of Beaumont off I-10 and prepared to enter the affected area for search and rescue.

Texas State Parks

Below is a list of state parks hosting Ike evacuees as of 10 a.m. today, showing numbers of evacuees at each park. For the current list of parks closed due to Ike, see the TPWD Web site (tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/hurricane).

  • Ray Roberts Lake (both units) 29
  • Davis Mountains 5
  • Monahans Sandhills 2
  • Seminole Canyon 19
  • Choke Canyon 39
  • Lake Casa Blanca 138
  • Falcon 111
  • Bonham 18
  • Cedar Hill 69
  • Eisenhower 27
  • Lake Whitney 159
  • Lake Mineral Wells 48
  • Meridian 43
  • Cleburne 42
  • McKinney Falls 220
  • Palmetto 29
  • Guadalupe River 128
  • Abilene 22
  • Caprock Canyons 2
  • Fort Richardson 22
  • Lake Arrowhead 39
  • Lake Brownwood 81
  • Lake Colorado City 8
  • Palo Duro Canyon 7
  • Possum Kingdom 25
  • San Angelo 59
  • Blanco 62
  • Enchanted Rock 23
  • Garner 1650
  • Hill Country 18
  • Inks Lake 415
  • Lost Maples 74
  • Pedernales Falls 135
  • South Llano River 132
  • Dinosaur Valley 33

TOTAL 3,933

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