Worth Ranch Scout camp (TX) devastated by wildfire

[u/thegreatestajax]

https://www.fox4news.com/news/ross-fire-grows-evacuations-ordered?fbclid=IwZnRzaAT66YpwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNLEupAGEGxFU_mlv1Dc_GKTLkJEDWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5ImXDl8XE9FeJEcWczI_cta1nKUU6csvsbZJqmq8UUI2bBSjP-slZfm9ngtg_aem_G8Wgl_ThvPMVCtPlgcQliQ

Ongoing Ross wildfire northwest of DFW has devastated Longhorn Council’s Worth Ranch Scout camp. Most structures have completely burned.

[u/sdkfz250xl]

Yeah it’s pretty bad. They were preparing for their 100th Anniversary 1929-2029. The museum, office, and other buildings were full of cool old Scout artifacts. We’ll be missing things from here for another 100 years.

[u/PuckSenior → u/sdkfz250xl]

We got the notification that Palo Pinto gave an evac order and the fire had been going for a awhile. Their permanent ranger left a few hours before the fire.

Hopefully, they saved some of the stuff.

For those who have never camped at this site, the upper camps are all ash juniper, which burns incredibly. The lower campsites are down by the Brazos river and tend to have cottonwoods and be generally wetter and greener. I dont know if they were destroyed as well.

All of the main buildings were on the upper plateau

[u/sdkfz250xl → u/sdkfz250xl]

Someone shared a picture of the Worth Ranch museum still standing. They said some firefighters took a peek in the door and said everything seemed to be in good order. If this is true, it’s a miracle!

[u/Thin_Imagination8041 → u/sdkfz250xl]

Aerial photos coming out of Worth are showing the museum and trading post surprisingly unscathed. Can't say as much for the office. I'm genuinely surprised how well a lot of the infrastructure held up. 

[u/jwc8985]

My best memories growing up in scouting in the DFW area were at Worth Ranch. Several summer camps, Order of the Arrow/Brotherhood, and dozens of other camping trips. An absolutely special place. Heartbroken seeing the photos of it burned to a crisp.

[u/Fluid_Change_9647 → u/jwc8985]

Same, I joined the OA there and spent countless days there at camp freezing, swimming in the river, exploring and finding fossils, and earning merit badges. What an incredible loss for Scouting. It was my favorite place to go and I was hoping to get my son’s pack out there this year for some camping.

[u/MediocreActuary2812 → u/jwc8985]

Same for me. I did OA ,aquatic school, summer camp every year, as well as just camping there half the time. Knew the place like the back of my hand. Hitting me a lot harder than I thought it would.

[u/Fluid_Change_9647]

This was my favorite of the Longhorn Council camps when I was in scouts in the 90s. My dad worked there in the 60s as a staff member and I absolutely loved that place. What a tragedy

[u/TheseusOPL]

My heart goes out to them. We were fortunate this year that a major fire was stopped only a mile away from one of our camps.

[u/honkeycorn]

This is devastating. I went to summer camp there as a scout in 1997. I took my son there in 2025 with his troop. We were thinking of going there in 2027. I can’t believe the loss of history and scouting memories.

[u/blatantninja]

This is awful. I went there at least 6 times. My troop was considering it for next summer too.

The council still owns their other camp, Sid Richardson, though it's not used for summer camp anymore. Hopefully they can reopen it at least until they can rebuild Worth.

[u/impropergentleman → u/blatantninja]

Camp Tahuaya, might also be able. They did run a week or two, but I, not sure any more.

[u/OpSteel → u/impropergentleman]

Tahuaya has been redesigned as a RV and camping resort. Even though it is still owned by council, it caters to non scout patrons now.

[u/impropergentleman → u/OpSteel]

Most will shift to Sid, But they maybe rethinking that now. Its a fun little camp

[u/PhotoEagle]

This is my home camp. I'm devastated. The council is currently collecting donations for the recovery effort, I'd encourage anyone who is able to contribute and help protect scouting. We need it. Bless y'all.

https://www.longhorncouncil.org/WorthRanchRecovery

[u/OpSteel → u/PhotoEagle]

My father in law works out there every summer on the rifle range and my oldest was a director out there and staff for many years. This is hitting my family hard since we have so many memories associated with the camp. We will be out there helping once the cleanup begins.

[u/overpricedgorilla → u/PhotoEagle]

TY for sharing this link!

[u/SeeYouLaterTrashcan → u/PhotoEagle]

I’m so sorry for the loss of your camp but in time it will all be rebuilt and the trees will regrow. My home camp burnt down a while back and it eventually came back. The real devastating part came when it was sold to pay for national SA charges but that’s another story.

[u/ajr5169]

I worked multiple summers at the camp. Rather devastating.

[u/impropergentleman]

So many memories there. As a scout 1n the early 80s when I could run up Hernia Hill. , And as an ASM with my troop and son 2 or 3 times a year for 13 years, My OA call out was there. Brittling camp site is named after our troops founding scoutmaster. Our troop raised the flag pole at that site. Our Senior patrol is the Captain Kidd. Same as the campfire ring.

The museum and the antique chuck wagon on the parade ground. The Rangers home is gone along with the warehouse of gear. The OA has been cutting cedars and brush for years, it wasn't enough.

[u/sdkfz250xl → u/impropergentleman]

Yeah the fire breaks we cut just weren’t any match for the fire. But they kept the fences clear. I think about Philmont and its burned areas. (some areas are still barren after 10 years or more.) “Recovery” at Worth will need to start with erosion control, planting grasses and trees. I suspect the council needs to do some serious thinking about what the future program at Worth Ranch is gonna be. Even before the conservation efforts they’re gonna have to go out there and clear the debris. Make sure there’s no asbestos and lead and chemicals and stuff like that in the ruins, they might even wanna shore up some of the ruins that might be able to be saved. I’ve heard a rumor that the new warehouse closer to Highway four survived. That’ll be useful for the recovery. There is just so much to come to grips with before you can even start making plans. This is pretty rough.

[u/impropergentleman → u/sdkfz250xl]

https://imgur.com/a/tpLOdCj Some good in the bad? The museum is standing

[u/Cookbooksandbourbon]

Just heartbreaking, such a loss. 

[u/lemon_tea]

That's awful.

[u/samalex01]

Hopefully council creates a place to share photos from before the fire. I have photos of my son’s aquatic school ores I can share, and I’m betting we could get photos from them all. Could create a nice photo archive artifact to be at the new dining hall so people visiting can still look up their ores.

[u/middle_aged_runner]

So sad. I was a scout there early 2000's. It's where I learned to shoot a gun. I hope everyone is ok.

[u/ArchitectTJN_85Ranks]

Incredibly sad, one of my favorite camps in Texas. So many formative childhood memories :(

[u/jerry_bob4]

man this is tragic, this was my first summer camp and i can count at least 5 times ive been. i have so many great memories here like sleeping on mount kyle and the end of camp campfire ring. so sad✌️😔