OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — Agencies in Northwest Florida are stepping up to answer the call for help in Texas, where the Ross Fire has scorched at least 80,000 acres.<\/p>\n
The fire started Monday in Palo Pinto County. It’s currently 26 percent contained.<\/p>\n
“We’re all neighbors in some sort of way, and this is how we can help,” said Chief Thearon Shipman with the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department.<\/p>\n
Fire Chief Shipman says his department sent over his assistant for the strike team leader. His exact location hasn’t been determined, but Shipman says a typical deployment lasts 14 days.<\/p>\n
“They have to drive, I think the total time in a car is 12 hours. Fire trucks are a lot slower,” he said. “They’ll have a staging area. They’ll get their assignments. And then obviously the team leader communicate with the crews and they’ll go to work.”<\/p>\n
His firefighter joins several others in Northwest Florida heading west to Texas.<\/p>\n
Niceville, North Bay, Okaloosa Island, Destin, Crestview and Ocean City-Wright are all sending over manpower. State agencies are also tapping in.<\/p>\n
Locally, three staff members with the Florida Forest Service are responding throughout the state.<\/p>\n
“Their employees are stretched to the max,” said Justin Rowell with the Florida Forest Service. “They’re working 14 days straight, taking a day off basically, and coming back to work another 14 days.”<\/p>\n
“Texas relies on a lot of out of state resources to operate their equipment, as far as their dozers and and things like that,” he added.<\/p>\n
Rowell is working in northeast Texas. In the last nine days of his deployment, he’s been working daily, smaller-scale fires.<\/p>\n
“It’s just extremely hot. You know, temperatures are averaging 100 degrees every day. Humidities are are low 30s,” Rowell said. “The wind’s not too bad, which is helping a little bit.”<\/p>\n
Chief Shipman says rain would be the biggest help.<\/p>\n
“We hope they can get this thing under control and get back home safely,” he said.<\/p>\n
Texas officials say they are grateful for the assistance, but more support for the firefighters is needed.<\/p>\n