Not worth the risk | Louisianans explain why they're evacuating ahead of Hurricane Ida

BAYTOWN, Texas — The Buc-ee’s gas station along I-10 in Baytown is one of the first stops in Texas for families evacuating Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Ida.

The store is popular among travelers for a couple of reasons. Buc-ee’s serves hot food, and its dozens of pumps have fuel, something that’s in short supply along the Texas-Louisiana border.

“Yeah, it looks like it’s going to really hit,” said Joseph Dantzner as he fueled up his car.

“I didn’t really want to stay and take chances,” said Vincent Hartman of why he and his family left Larose, La., for San Antonio.

Theresa Johnson said she and her sister left New Orleans for Houston at 3:30 a.m. It was 11:30 a.m. when they arrived in Baytown with a car full of supplies.

“We have two kids in the car. They’re both 12 months. We really wanted to evacuate for them,” she said.

Johnson is “hoping by Tuesday,” the weather and roads will be clear enough for she and her sister to drive back to Louisiana.

Jamie Brener is hoping for a Tuesday return, too.

“Like, best case scenario is like power outages and some minor flooding in New Orleans,” Brener said.

Brener is staying with friends in Austin in the meantime.

“Worst case? I don’t even want to think of that,” she said.

“When Katrina came, I went toward Mississippi, and it was the worst thing,” Dantzner said. “I ran right into it also. So this time, we’ll go a different route.”

By Saturday afternoon, both Louisiana and Texas state troopers were reporting traffic backup along parts of I-10 west. On Twitter, police urged Texas-bound drivers to find alternate routes to their destination.

“I’m glad that they’re getting out and like being safe about it,” Hartman said. “Instead of staying, because I’ve got a couple of friends back at home that are staying, and I am a little worried for them.”