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Palo Pinto Co. wildfire grows to 80,000 acres
The Ross Fire that started in Palo Pinto County has now spread into Jack County. At last check, 80,000 acres had burned and the fire was only 12% contained.
PALO PINTO, Texas - Crews are working around the clock to control a rapidly growing wildfire burning out of control in Palo Pinto and Jack counties, west of Fort Worth.
Ross Fire spreads into Jack County
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Ross Fire continues raging across Palo Pinto County
The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County has spread to at least 50,000 acres since it began on Monday, and has burned several structures and forced evacuations in nearby Jack County. FOX 4's Alex Boyer is live with more.
What we know:
The Ross Fire broke out on Monday afternoon in Palo Pinto County, approximately 60 miles west of Fort Worth. Since then, the blaze has moved north into Jack County.
As of Wednesday morning, the wildfire has blackened 80,000 acres and is only 12% contained.
Firefighters have struggled to gain control of the blaze due to its massive size, rapid rate of spread, and constantly shifting winds.
Several structures in remote areas have burned as hundreds of residents remain on high alert or under mandatory evacuation orders.
Oncor repair crews are onsite assisting with power lines in the area.
Additionally, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that FEMA approved a grant request to secure federal funding for the firefighting efforts.
What we don't know:
It is currently unknown how many total structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Authorities have not reported the official cause of the fire or when full containment is expected to be achieved.
Youth camp, homes, solar panels destroyed by Palo Pinto County wildfire
A youth camp in Palo Pinto County is one of many structures that has suffered catastrophic damage from the effects of the Ross Fire that currently rages across Palo Pinto and Jack counties.
Residents and livestock evacuated
What they're saying:
The rapid movement of the fire forced families to pack up and leave immediately, including residents near the town of Perrin.
Katie Dean, a Perrin resident who evacuated with her family, described the sudden urgency when local authorities arrived. The family managed to safely evacuate all of their animals, which included roughly 50 goats, two horses, and several dogs.
"I was terrified, honestly. I don't like to admit it, but I'm from Northern California and fires are everywhere in the summer," Dean said. "That has been my biggest fear since I was a little girl, so to have it so close, that scares me more than a tornado. I was panicking, but I was trying to keep it together."
The sheriff's office continues to assist with evacuations in the impacted areas.
The Source: The information in this article comes from local law enforcement updates, statements from Gov. Greg Abbott, and an interview with a Perrin resident.