Fritch residents begin to return home following wildfire devastation

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·3 min read

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and and the City of Fritch are beginning to pick up the pieces as wildfires continue to spread throughout the area.

Parts of Hutchinson County, including areas of Fritch and Lake Meredith National Recreation Area was evacuated Tuesday due to the wildfires. According to Eric Smith, superintendent at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, there are still multiple fires spread throughout their area, once again gaining momentum due to the winds.

"Right now it is such a big area, and it's so spread out with the multiple fires all over the panhandle. Resources are spread pretty thin right now," Smith said early Wednesday. "We have fires that are starting to pick back up, and firefighters are going out to those areas now."

More: West Texas fire becomes 2nd largest in state history. What we know

For the Lake Meredith area, Smith stated that they have not lost any structures and that although the flames surrounded the structures, the Alibates Flint Quarries Visitor Center and historic McBride Ranch House are still intact.

The south line of the Windy Duece fire just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, Texas, can be seen from Highway 136 as the fire burns more than 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.
The south line of the Windy Duece fire just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, Texas, can be seen from Highway 136 as the fire burns more than 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.

"We have a lot of acreage that is burned, a lot of infrastructures such as the posts on guard rails, road signs that are burned down. We, as far as I know right now, we have not lost any structures in the park, but there were many structures in the city of Fritch that were lost," Smith said.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire near Stinnett, Texas, can be seen in the distance from the north end of Lake Meredith on Tuesday afternoon.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire near Stinnett, Texas, can be seen in the distance from the north end of Lake Meredith on Tuesday afternoon.

Smith said that during the battle with the flames yesterday evening, the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area along with their service firefighters made the decision to prioritize the flames entering the town of Fritch and assist with their efforts.

"From our park service firefighting efforts, we made a decision to help with the fire as it went through and on into the town of Fritch and not put firefighters to man the government structures, because that was a lower priority than trying to save lives and people and their homes," Smith said.

Fire burns just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, burning more than 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.
Fire burns just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, burning more than 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.
Crews in road graders leave the staging area toward the fire that was burning just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, at an estimated 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.
Crews in road graders leave the staging area toward the fire that was burning just south of Lake Meredith near Fritch, at an estimated 8,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.

Currently, the town of Fritch has no updates on the total loss that occurred during the wildfires. According to several Facebook posts from the city of Fritch, the town was currently under a boil water notice for Community Public Water Systems, and areas of the city had no internet access or electricity.

The people in that area are probably not "prepared for what they’re going to see if they pull into town,” Hutchinson County Emergency Management spokesperson Deidra Thomas said in a social media livestream, according to the Associated Press, who noted she compared the damage to a tornado.

The Fritch volunteer fire department stated in a Facebook post: "Today your Fritch Volunteer Fire Department mourns for our community and those around it. We are tired, we are devastated but we will not falter. We will not quit."

To make a donation to the Fritch Volunteer Fire Department, the organization asking for donations to be made through their Cashapp found on their Facebook Page. The City of Borger and Hutchinson County are asking for items such as snacks, non-perishable foods, hygiene items, diapers, wipes, formula, 1st aid supplies, pet supplies, and blankets that can be donated and distributed to those in need at the Dome.

More: How to help: Ways to provide assistance after wildfires impact West Texas

Confirmed institutions to donate to the relief effort across the Texas Panhandle include: Pantex FCU, Amarillo National Bank/Borger Bank, The Red Cross, Amarillo Area Foundation,  Fritch Volunteer Fire Department and Stinnett Volunteer Fire Department.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Lake Meredith, town of Fritch begin to assess wildfire damage