BASTROP COUNTY, Texas — As historic wildfires torch California, people in Bastrop are still recovering from a fire that made history there.
It was the most destructive fire in Texas, killing two people and destroying about 1,600 homes
Heart of the Pines Volunteer Fire Dept. Chief Mizzy Zdroj said many of her neighbors have PTSD. And it can be triggered by something as simple as a gust of wind or a faint smell of smoke in the air.
“They're scared out here,” said Zdroj. “If someone smells smoke, they'll call me, they'll message me. They'll pull into my driveway on two wheels. They're crying."
Zdroj was volunteering in 2011, helping save others' lives when her own home was consumed by the fire.
"We went to fill up at a hydrant,” she said. “We had to pass the house and when we passed it the second time, I knew it was going to go."
Her twin boys and her family evacuated while she continued fighting the wildfire.
"It's almost like an armor when you wear your gear,” she said. “You are tasked with a duty to protect what you can out here. And as long as we were fighting, and saving homes, and pulling animals and things that we could save, it gave us purpose."
She said it is the recovery that has been truly tough.
“Those of us who have stayed are pretty tough,” said Zdroj. “But it's a drain being tough sometimes."
Thanks to "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," she got a new home after the fire in 2011. However, she sold it due to high property taxes.
Though the fear of fires lingers in her community, she continues to fight them to protect others and counts her blessings.
"As long as my family is OK, we are going to be just fine,” she said. “We're tough."
Zdroj said the current dry conditions make the fire danger extremely high.
To fight fires, her volunteer fire department needs help. The Heart of the Pines department is always in need of volunteer fire fighters and donations.
Not all volunteers have to fight fires. They can also help with welding or driving.