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Apr 11, 2009 10:03 pm US/Central
Cleanup Starts As Fire Continues To Burn
Selena Hernandez
SAINT JO (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
The raging wild fires in Montangue County show no immediate signs of slowing down, despite the forecast of rain. The Texas Forest Service estimates 25,000 acres of terrrain have been torched within the past few days.
The images of destruction and devastation are overwhelming, as fire-ravaged land stretches for miles. Fire crews from the Saint Jo Volunteer Fire Department have been on the frontlines from the beginning.
"We're rotating, getting two, three hours of sleep, then come back, and go again," Assistant Fire Chief Scott Thomas said.
Yet in the midst of wide-spread tragedy, there is hope and triumph of the human spirit.
"We're trying to raise money for our equipment that's been torn up already."
Thomas and his battle-weary crew are balancing the fires with fryers. The Department is hosting its Annual Fish Fry Fundraiser. The event drew the hungry and the support from North Texans as far away as Arlington.
"It's a good cause and they do what they do," said Ramonda Casey, who drove up from Arlington just to participate.
In the neighboring town of Montague, Red Cross volunteers transformed a local church into a makeshift shelter.
"Just to provide temporarty shelter, a place to lay down if need to," Fields Richardson said.
The crew is prepared to take-in as many as 100 people - all of which were left homeless by the fires.
The fires are not yet contained and hot spots continue to flare-up - leaving a community scortched by mother nature, hoping the heavens shower them with mercy.
"Just pray for rain," Thomas said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Strange Photos 2009
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