The disaster caused by the Smokehouse Creek fire is almost unimaginable in scope, with over one million acres burned in the panhandle. This was an inferno that destroyed everything in its path, the largest wildfire in Texas history. I saw photos and video of what looked like a giant wall of flame with a terrifying intensity. It was unnerving how quickly the fires sprang up and raged out of control. I also saw something else happen while the fire reports were coming in. At first a few people were offering help, hauling out livestock, bringing in hay and water. Over the days a citizen-organized effort to relieve the fire victims, both human and animal, has become an absolute army of volunteers, a counter wall against destruction.
People from all over Texas, and even some out of state, are driving truckloads of supplies into fire devastated areas. “I’ve grown up fighting fires,” said Kevin Busher of Rockwall, Texas, who has been hauling loads of hay and water to hard hit ranchers. “Helping is second nature. Anyone I asked for hay or products jumped at the opportunity. Asked a rancher at home to help out. We’ve put together nearly 100 tons of cubes to haul up. People can be so amazing in a time of need.”
From veterinary care, home recovery and offers to bottle-feed orphaned calves, to food, clothing and personal care items, the donations are pouring in by the thousands. Chip Barker, owner of Chipster’s Grill in Bangs, along with Fireman’s Lawn Rescue and numerous volunteers in west central Texas stepped up to bring his portable kitchen out to Borger, near one of the hardest hit areas in the panhandle.
On Monday, Barker drove out, along with his team, to begin serving free hot meals to those who have lost everything. On his Facebook page, Barker stated, “The team had an opportunity to pray with a young couple who just got recently married and lost everything! The mission isn’t just feeding these folks physical food, offering Christ like love listening feeding their spirits is as important!” The Brown County team served 150 free meals on Monday, and took a large trailer full of donations from people in our area. The donated items were distributed quickly and directly to those impacted by the fires. If you would like to support the efforts of Chip and his team, you donate to their cash app at $Porkloin53. The group will continue to provide as much aid as possible in the coming days.
Texas is not like other states. People here aren’t sitting around, arguing and wringing their hands, wondering how things will get fixed. They go fix them. It’s truly a phenomenon what is happening in the panhandle. There’s a giant, somehow fairly organized network of people that have come from all walks of life to stand in the gap for those affected by these fires. Watching thousands of caring people donating everything from time, money, prayer and comfort to people and animals that are suffering, is powerful to me. This relief effort is beyond human. It seems more like a God thing.
Not to be too tropey, but the story of the mythical phoenix does come to mind. Out of loss and devastation, literally this time out of the ashes, there rises something new. A story of compassion, of the human ability to respond to a crisis by bringing about restoration, is being written in front of our eyes. This is more than a community effort, it is an object lesson in spiritual truth, illustrating a rebirth out of the darkest experiences that only faith, hope and love can deliver. This is how you face the troubles of life. It makes me proud to live in Texas.
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Diane Adams is a local journalist whose columns appear Thursdays on BrownwoodNews.com
