Devastating fires have burned thousands of acres of land in Brooks County.
Three fires have burned more than 16 1/2 sq. miles so far.
Max Bayarena is just one of the area's ranch owners who lost his home in one of the fires.
Bayarena said his home burned to the ground in just a matter of hours. Land that has been passed down from generation to generation is now gone -- the only thing left are the memories.
Last night, Bayarena said he got a call from his uncle about a fire behind his home. He went outside and saw smoke creeping up.
Just moments later, he said the skies turned a fiery red and moments after that, the fire consumed his home.
He said he tried stop the fire from burning his home, but the flames were too powerful. Bulldozers eventually had to be sent in to help control the fire.
But Bayarena said it was too late, and that he’d lost everything in the fire.
"This ranch has been in our family since forever; since the early 1800's,” he said. “We have memorabilia, but we completely lost everything."
Officials said the fire burned about 10,000 acres, and there is still no word on how it started.
