FLAT, Texas — On Sunday, a massive fire spanning thousands of acres spread across Fort Hood. The response was heavy as many different local fire departments rushed to the scene to do whatever they could to fight the fire. Since then, the fire is reportedly 55 percent contained and is still being monitored.
But a fire of that magnitude naturally require a big effort to put it out. Flat volunteer firefighter Shawn Stafford says it was the biggest fire he's ever seen.
"It was hot, it was flames coming from different directions," Stafford, a 10-year volunteer firefighter said. "But we managed to all keep our cool and get in there and get water put on it and get it taken care of."
He listed a number of fire departments that he recalls showing up to the scene on Sunday, citing Gatesville, Turnersville, Moffat, Killeen and many other fire departments that were needed to combat a fire that reportedly spread as many as 35,000 acres.
When asked if he felt a sense of pride in fighting such a big fir, Stafford said it's not about pride. He loves serving his community.
"Just like everybody else here, volunteer when we all volunteer, we do it because we love it, Stafford said. "We do it as a way to help people and that particular day the fire was knocking on our back door and we did what we needed to do to get it taken care of for this community."
The community has expressed gratitude for the services of all the volunteers in the area. A local church cooked food for the volunteers, community members have dropped off water and Gatorade and other things for the firefighters.
But, there is still work to be done. Stafford says a fire that big, is going to take time, perhaps more than he expects, to be done with it.
"Right now we're still trying to battle flare ups, putting water out, getting it on there so the wind don't pick it up and make it worse than what it already is."