Oklahoma nonprofit helping victims in Oklahoma panhandle amid wildfires
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) — A nonprofit organization is lending a hand to Oklahoma communities that have been fighting wildfires for the past week.
The Catesby wildfire near Gage in Ellis County has burnt more than 90,000 acres of land.
Jason Yarbrough is the director of Oklahoma Baptist Relief, and he said more than two dozen crews are leaving the Metro and headed to the Oklahoma panhandle to help victims of the wildfires.
"Motto for us is that we bring help, hope and healing to people in crisis," said Yarbrough.
Yarbrough said more than a dozen homes have been destroyed in the flames.
"We have assessors to go out and meet with homeowners and we send a chaplain along with them just for some spiritual care and just a listening ear," said Yarbrough. "They'll go to the home and begin the process of helping to clean up their property.”
He said although they are offering physical help, they also want to serve as a sound board to those affected.
"Sometimes they just need that listening ear of somebody that would just listen to what they're going through and maybe not try to fix it, but just listen to them,” said Yarbrough.
The nonprofit is also on alert in case help is needed in the Texas panhandle.
"We're just waiting on word for them as to the needs that they have. They're just getting the process started to be able to help families over there clean up their properties,” said Yarbrough.
Yarbrough said they expect to be there for weeks.
"Once we get there, we won't leave until the work that we're able to do is done,” added Yarbrough.
The organization expects to have a post set up in Vici. They do not charge for anything that they do, if you would like to help donate, click here.