Youth camp, homes, solar panels destroyed by Palo Pinto County wildfire
PALO PINTO, Texas - 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.
Worth Ranch youth scout camp
Images from SKY 4 showed devastation at Worth Ranch, a youth scout camp owned by Scouting America's Longhorn Council.
The Longhorn Council confirmed a majority of buildings on the campground have sustained catastrophic damage, though the full extent of the damage is still unknown.
Thankfully, no scouts, campers, or guests were on the property at the time and all camp personnel were safely evacuated.
Longhorn Council is asking people to stay away from the campgrounds, as structures have been made unstable by damage from the fire.
What you can do:
Longhorn Council is asking for donations to help recovery efforts. You can find the donation link here.
Other structures affected
The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County has affected multiple structures as it continues to burn.
Sky 4 captured images of a house burning along the Brazos River in Graford on Tuesday morning.
The Rocker B Ranch baseball fields in Graford were close to the fires but have not sustained any damage so far.
Solar panels were seen burning on the edge of the fire.
Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County
Palo Pinto wildfire grows to 50,000+ acres, multiple structures affected
The 50,000-acre Ross Fire has prompted mandatory and recommended evacuations in Palo Pinto and Jack counties as dry, windy conditions fuel multiple wildfires across North Texas.
Big picture view:
The Ross Fire started Monday afternoon just west of the town of Palo Pinto and quickly increased to multiple alarms. Flames are burning grass, brush, trees, and at least one structure.
As of the latest update from the Texas A&M Forest Service, the fire has grown to more than 50,000 acres and is 8% contained. High winds blowing steadily in a northeasterly direction, combined with dry conditions and extreme heat, continue to fuel the flames.
A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for southern Jack County in the area near and east of Barton's Chapel. Residents in this area are instructed to evacuate immediately by heading east on Highway 281. An evacuation center for Jack County residents has been established at the Twin Lakes Activity Center on Highway 59 in Jacksboro.
In Palo Pinto County, residents living north of Fortune Bend Road extending north to Highway 16 North are highly advised to evacuate.
All residents in the surrounding areas are urged to remain alert and be prepared for changing conditions.
The Source: Information in this story comes from Worth Ranch officials, Sky 4 images, and FOX 4's coverage of the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County.