FREDERICKSBURG, Texas – The Crabapple Fire has scorched nearly 10,000 acres north of Fredericksburg, destroying several homes and numerous buildings and leaving residents without hay and feed for their livestock.
The affected area stretches from Lower Crabapple Road to Farm-to-Market Road 1631, according to a joint news release from the Texas A&M Forest Service and the City of Fredericksburg. It is 85% contained as of Tuesday.
Recommended Videos
The fire ignited around 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, about 11 miles north of Fredericksburg.
Nine homes and 20 buildings were destroyed, and two other residences were damaged, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
>> MAP: Crabapple Fire size compared to San Antonio
While donations for firefighters are not currently needed, there are ways to assist those affected by the fire.
Here’s how to help:
Crabapple Disaster Fund
Gillespie County has teamed up with the OneStar Foundation, Rebuild Texas to create the Crabapple Disaster Fund.
Fredericksburg officials said, “at this time, this is the best way to help.”
The Crabapple Disaster Fund is the only authorized online donation portal.
Donations can be made here.
Supplies for ranchers and livestock owners
A livestock supply point at Gillespie County Fairgrounds, located at 530 Fair Drive in Fredericksburg, is collecting hay, feed, and fencing supplies for cattle, sheep and goats.
From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, donations can also be facilitated by:
- Behrends Feed & Fertilizer
- Lochte Feed and General Store
- Kerrville Ranch & Pet Center
- Tractor Supply in Fredericksburg
- Allied Ag Services Inc.
For those donating fencing supplies, there is a specific request for 14-gauge non-red tip barbed wire.
Landowners can begin picking up donations from the fairgrounds.
For questions, call 830-988-6173.
How not to help
City officials said food, water and other supplies for firefighters are not needed at this time.
People should not send their donations to local fire departments unless asked to do so.
In a Facebook post, Bandera Fire and Rescue posted an image of a couch and side table that was dropped off at the station.
“As much as we’d like to help manage donations like this one, we are not able to,” the post read.
Those who want to help can contact their local churches or the nonprofit organization, Silver Sage, Bandera Fire and Rescue said.