Texas wildfires: Gov. Abbott honors fire chief killed in Panhandle fire
Texas Governor Greg Abbott offered his condolences to the family of a fire chief who died fighting a structure fire in the Texas Panhandle on Tuesday.
Fritch volunteer Fire Chief Zeb Smith responded to a structure fire and faced "unforeseen challenges." Smith was the first to arrive on scene of a house fire. He collapsed inside the home, suffering from a reported heart attack.
Officials said Tuesday’s structure fire was not directly related to the ongoing wildfires, but the cause is still under investigation.
"I would be remise if I did not say that Chief Smith, along with other volunteer firefighters in this county and this department, has responded to the last nine days active fighting these fires," said Brandon Strope, with the Hutchinson County Office for Emergency Management. "I think we all can say with certainty that it did have a role in today’s unfortunate incident."
Fritch fire chief Zeb Smith dies while fighting structure fire
A Texas fire chief whose small town was among the hardest hit last week by historic blazes sweeping across the Panhandle died Tuesday while fighting a structure fire, authorities said.
The governor was originally set to only provide an update on the historic Texas wildfires, but addressed Smith's tragic death.
"To see one of our chiefs, a first responder, working to battle flames and losing his life in the line of duty is something we never want to see," said Abbott at a news conference in the Panhandle. "He was willing to put his own life on the line to save the property of others and that is what Texas heroism is all about."
Chief Smith started with Fritch fire in 2017 and quickly climbed to the top rank. He leaves behind two sons.
Fritch’s mayor was emotional Tuesday.
"And to me, he was one of my kids," Fritch Mayor Tom Ray said.
People stopped to honor Smith as a procession passed through Fritch to Lubbock.
Glen Wallis volunteered alongside Smith for years. He told FOX 4 Smith worked tirelessly for the last week.
"Obviously, we all need rest. He took his breaks to rest and everything, but when he was on, he was out," Wallis said. "He went doing what he had a passion for."
The town of Fritch, about 35 miles north of Amarillo, is one of the hardest hit from the wildfires last week.
Just a few days ago, Smith was at a statewide press conference offering updates on the wildfires.
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd had met with Smith days at that news conference.
"Thoughts, prayers and condolences to the family of Chief Smith. Chief Smith was with us last Friday when we did another briefing and got information from him. He's a great man. He will be sorely missed," said Kidd.
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Governor Abbott went on to call on Texans to help the Panhandle region recover from the devastating wildfires.
"What was once homes or other structures or property has been reduced to nothing more than ashes," he said.
Abbott said 70% of Hemphill County was burned, but complicated formulas may prevent Texas from qualifying for federal disaster assistance.
The federal government would require the loss of 800 uninsured primary residences.
Texas Division of Emergency Management said that while the containment number increases for the multiple wildfires, it does not mean the danger is gone.
Texas Panhandle fire chief killed in fire
The fire chief of a Texas Panhandle city that's been heavily damaged by a wildfire is now mourning the death of its fire chief. The news of Chief Zeb Smith's death came just hours before Gov. Greg Abbott held a news conference on the state of the wildfire fight.
"The men and women that are out there right now are doing everything they can to put a perimeter around that. As we see up to three different wind shifts just in today’s weather, and additional fire weather coming in Thursday and Friday, we do not want escape embers getting out of that and starting a new fire," Kidd explained.
As of Tuesday, the Smokehouse Creek fire has burned more than one million acres, with a containment of nearly 40%.
Its perimeter is more than 550 miles long.
Officials said the count right now is around 120 structures, and not all were occupied homes.
"A task force has been created to address those needs with funding going to the First Baptist Church 501C3," said Gov. Abbott. "These people need donations like never before, and we want to make sure the donations are getting to a location that is not going to be fraudulent."
Governor Abbott said one of the biggest needs in the region is hay.
"The hay that has been delivered has already been used," he said. "For months there is going to be far more hay that is needed."
The governor said firefighters are still closely monitoring the fires.
"The fire is not yet put out. Has not yet been extinguished. Until it is, and with the weather conditions constantly changing, we all need to maintain vigilance to make sure nobody else loses their life," said Gov. Abbott.
There are several more wildfires still burning in the Panhandle.
The largest is in Hutchinson County, which has burned more than 1 million acres and is still only 37 percent contained.