Story perspectives

FEMA Grants Fire Aid as Ross Fire Reaches 85,000 Acres

8/29/2026

Summary

Abbott Announces Grant

Texas A&M Forest Service reported the Ross Fire burned about 85,000 acres after igniting near Palo Pinto on Aug. 24.
By Aug. 28, containment reached roughly 26% of the fire’s perimeter.
About 630 homes were evacuated.
A local disaster was declared Tuesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant.

Summary

Volunteers Aid Firefighters

Volunteers and local agencies have collected large donations of food, water, and supplies for firefighters.
Palo Pinto County ESD1 reported 325 power poles damaged, with roughly half already replaced.
The DeRosa family estimates ranch damage runs into millions of dollars.
A church near Possum Kingdom Lake serves as a command post and rest area for crews.

History

Historical Context

The 2003 Cedar Fire in California, ignited on October 25, 2003, scorched roughly 273,000 acres and forced the evacuation of over 200,000 residents. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, aided by FEMA’s $1.3 billion disaster assistance, deployed 7,000 firefighters and replaced 1,200 power poles. Like today’s Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County, the Cedar Fire overwhelmed local resources, prompting state officials and volunteer groups to coordinate shelter operations at churches. The Cedar Fire’s costly recovery spurred stricter building codes and expanded fire-management grants, shaping modern wildfire-response frameworks that now guide Texas’s assistance efforts.

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Abbott Announces Grant

Texas A&M Forest Service reported the Ross Fire burned about 85,000 acres after igniting near Palo Pinto on Aug. 24.
By Aug. 28, containment reached roughly 26% of the fire’s perimeter.
About 630 homes were evacuated.
A local disaster was declared Tuesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant.

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