Ross Fire burns, destroying homes, ranches and historic scouting camp

Fire Spreads Rapidly, Forcing Evacuations

The Ross Fire, which started Monday afternoon west of the town of Palo Pinto near Highway 180, has grown to more than 50,000 acres and was 8% contained as of late Tuesday afternoon, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The fire has burned across Palo Pinto and Jack counties, fueled by scorching heat, wind, and parched land. FOX 4 News reported that 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 are instructed to evacuate immediately by heading east on Highway 281. An evacuation center 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.

Historic Scout Camp Suffers Catastrophic Damage

Among the structures damaged is Worth Ranch, a youth scout camp owned by Scouting America's Longhorn Council. Photographs and aerial footage show charred buildings, collapsed roofs, and piles of rubble at the 800-acre camp, which is one of the oldest scouting camps in the United States. The Boy Scout Foundation purchased the land in 1929, and the camp has been part of scouting for 97 years. Thousands of boys and young men have visited the camp over the years for activities like swimming, hiking, canoeing, archery, rock climbing, and nature exploration. The camp is nicknamed "The Big Adventure."

The Longhorn Council confirmed that a majority of buildings on the campground have sustained catastrophic damage, including the dining hall, a meeting hall, and several cabins. The full extent of the damage is still unknown. No scouts, campers, or guests were on the property at the time, and all camp personnel were safely evacuated. A ranger who lived at the camp was the only person on site and evacuated.

Wendy Shaw, CEO of the Longhorn Council Scouting America, expressed grief over the loss. "We are very much grieving. And it's going to be hard. Worth Ranch has been part of scouting for 97 years. It is a treasure, and we are grieving," she said. Shaw also noted that camp is where young people learn to be resilient and try new things, describing it as "failing forward."

The Longhorn Council is asking people to stay away from the campgrounds because structures have been made unstable by damage from the fire. They are also requesting donations to help recovery efforts. Council staff have been unable to visit the camp and are relying on reports from those on the ground. If the fire subsides, Shaw said they hope to visit later this week to conduct a full survey of damage.

Despite the devastation, a replica of the famous statue of a boy scout still stands beside the charred dining hall. During camp, scouts tap the statue's left knee every day for luck.

Homes, Ranches, and Other Property Affected

The fire has also affected multiple structures in Palo Pinto County. CBS News Texas chopper captured a home engulfed in flames near the 9000 block of Chick Bend, just off the Brazos River. FOX 4's SKY 4 also captured images of a house burning along the Brazos River in Graford. 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.

Rancher Casey Armstrong and his family worked throughout the night to evacuate hundreds of cattle and horses from restricted areas in Graford. Armstrong said the fire came within about 150 yards of his home, and while his home is safe for now, some structures at other ranches he owns were destroyed. "It was honestly like a nightmare. It was like a demon coming through there. It was roaring, it was popping, the movement of it," Armstrong said. "We've seen this fire change directions numerous times. We honestly thought we were going to have some more time. But we're scared."

Cassie Hall, a volunteer with the Graford Volunteer Fire Department, described the night sky turning orange as the fire moved through the county. "Last night it was just glowing, it had looked like somebody had turned orange lights on," she said. Volunteers have turned the Jack Rabbit Corner Store in Graford into a makeshift command post, providing fire crews relief before they return to the front line.

Emergency officials said the fire has gutted five structures, though it is unclear if that number includes the camp buildings. The Ross Fire quickly increased to multiple alarms, and authorities ordered or recommended residents to evacuate as it grew from 25 acres to tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours.