SINTON, Texas — One year after a wildfire tore through Sinton, firefighters and city leaders say the disaster revealed important lessons about responding to fast-moving rural fires.
The fire damaged 26 homes, including 10 destroyed on Hamilton Street, and displaced dozens of residents, including 38 adults and 31 children.
For some families, recovery is still underway.
Donald Moore lost five homes on his property when the fire swept through the area. A year later, he is living in an RV on the same land while he continues clearing debris and rebuilding.
“I probably had about $350,000 invested and 20 years I’ve been here,” Moore said. “That’s devastating… but you just gotta move on.”
Moore said the fire moved quickly once it reached the property.
“We watched the fire come at us and once the fire hit us it was gone,” Moore said. “There was nothing anybody could do.”
Fire officials say the blaze highlighted how difficult rural fires can be to fight, especially when flames spread across open land.
San Patricio County Fire Marshal Scott Marion said one of the biggest challenges was quickly organizing resources as the fire spread.
“Getting there and getting everything set up was kind of challenging in the beginning,” Marion said. “So just being prepared with policies and tactics will help us in future.”
Much of the fire burned through open fields, making it difficult for crews to position vehicles ahead of the flames.
“I don’t think there’s anything that would have been different if that fire started today,” Marion said. “We just would have fought it as it came.”
City leaders say the response also revealed challenges with communication and infrastructure.
Sinton City Manager Wayne Dobson said multiple agencies responded using different radio systems, making coordination difficult in the early stages of the fire.
Evacuating residents quickly became an all-hands effort.
“We used our public works, our streets, our parks — everyone involved with the city was going door to door to get people out of their homes,” Dobson said.
Water supply also became an issue as crews worked to contain the flames. Dobson said the city's water system struggled to keep up with demand.
"people were using their own well water, farmers came in with trucks of water." trucks." Dobson said.
While officials say the wildfire revealed important lessons about response and preparedness, Moore said the aftermath remains part of daily life.
“I’m used to it I guess,” Moore said. “It is what it is.”
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
