east texas wildfires

Last night the Smith County Emergency Services District #2 met to discuss funding for East Texas Volunteer Fire Departments.  The ESD board recently voted to collect less money from tax payers, leaving some fire departments worried about their budgets next year. Many Fire Departments received good news -- but many did not.

The impact of the wild fires in East Texas are taking their toll on many of the area's brave volunteer fire fighters.  Many of these selfless volunteers use their vacation time to supplement their income while they are out fighting fires.  We have video explaining the situation after the jump.

Local East Texas Fire Departments in need of supplies. (i.e Gatorade, water, fruit, etc etc).  As you know we have many hard working men and women out fighting the wild fires that are endangering lives and destroying everything in it's path.  We have been able to contact a few local area fire departments and have a list of where you can drop off some much needed supplies.

East Texas awoke this morning to a smoky haze. I am an East Texas native and have never seen anything like the East Texas wildfires that quickly burned through beautiful East Texas burning everything in sight as it rolled through county to county!  With high winds and drought stricken conditions emergency evacuations were called in parts of Anderson, Smith, Gregg, Upshur, Cass and Rusk countries.

This morning in Lindale at 4am the smell of smoke was faint but still noticeable by the time I got in the car to leave for work at 7:15am the smoke smell was stronger. The strong winds this weekend turned things from bad to worse when as local area Fire Fighters tried to keep local residents safe...

East Texans are praying for rain!  Summer officially starts today, but East Texas has already been experiencing record breaking temperature for weeks!.  Now, it's East Texas wildfires that are setting records.