Communities hit hard by the Eastland Complex wildfires continue to pull together with relief efforts underway.
The Eastland Complex, compromised of four fires, has scorched more than 54,000 acres in Eastland County. Texas A&M Forest Service reports as of 8 p.m. Saturday, it is about 30% contained.
Carbon, Texas was hit particularly hard with several homes and properties destroyed or seriously damaged from the flames that began to move in Thursday.
Macy McGaha said her mother only had time to grab a few documents and some other essential items from their family’s farm before it burnt down.
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“I bawled my eyes out. We all just sat here and cried, because it was like … you know, my grandfather built this up for the past 30-40 years and now it’s all gone,” McGaha said.
A relief site has been set up outside the Carbon Volunteer Fire Department for anyone in need. Donations of food and water have been pouring in, according to Wendy Forbus. She has been helping organize the site and said the generosity speaks to their small, close-knit town of fewer than 300 people.
“There are so many donations. So happy. I don’t even know who all has donated food, water, clothing,” Forbus said. “People are bringing hay. They’re bringing feed. It’s very needed because all the grass is gone.”
Forbus’ husband is the town’s fire chief and other family members are assisting in the fires working 28 hours straight at a time, she said. A number of other fire departments have been called to help battle the flames, including the Cresson Fire Department. Lt. Blake Martin said he and his team arrived on Thursday.
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“It will make you real humble real quick,” Lt. Martin said. “You see these kinds of things on TV all the time. Until you’re up in person with it, I mean, it’s devastating.”
Near the relief site, the Comanche County Medical Center has set up its mobile medical clinic. Joel Wise, a physician assistant with a medical center, said their mobile clinic offers primary care services in rural towns. Wise said they have seen an increase in demand at their site in Carbon, with mostly firefighters stopping by a health test before returning to work.
“They’re exhausted, dehydrated, high blood pressure. Problems that need addressed and we can do it here without having to take them to a hospital. We can get them back to the fires,” Wise said.
Residents like McGaha said throughout the devastation, their town is also dedicated to helping each other rebuild.
“We’re just happy to have our family all together. At the end of the day, this is just materialistic things,” she said.
In Gorman, Spirit BBQ fed the displaced and the first responders who'd come from all over the state Saturday.
Though the restaurant wasn't officially open, owner David Campbell, with the help of donations from people in College Station and the local food bank, served hot dogs and drinks to his neighbors.
“It just didn’t feel right trying to open up today for profit, so we thought you know what, we’re going to give back what we can to the community," said Cambell.
Just a few minutes away, employees of Gorman Milling operated a drop site for hay, unloading donations and reloading them for farmers whose pastures had been reduced to ash.
“It’s detrimental. It’s a killer to the industry with that much forage being gone like that from a fire. So, the people who are donating, it’s a Godsend," said project manager Luke Fritts.
At a news conference in Eastland, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said late Friday that at least 50 homes had been destroyed by flames with more possibly to be found. He declared a disaster in the 11 counties hardest hit by wildfires.
