Legal Aid Steps Up To Assist Following the Largest Wildfire in Texas History
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Although firefighters have completely contained the Panhandle wildfire, the work for organizations such as Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas to help those impacted has just begun. The three-week battle against several raging fires, which became the largest wildfire in Texas history, burned more than 1 million acres and took two lives. Scores of Panhandle residents lost homes, vehicles, livestock, and belongings, much of which can never be replaced.
In the weeks following the start of the wildfires, members of Legal Aid’s Disaster Legal Services Unit (DLSU) and staff from the Amarillo branch office joined numerous agencies onsite in the counties of Borger, Canadian, Fritch, and Stinnett to offer information on Legal Aid services and to take applications for help from those affected by the wildfires. Among the legal issues that often arise after fire loss are housing matters, including lease questions or insurance matters, and how to recover lost, essential documents such as birth certificates and Social Security cards.
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas’ DLSU operates a 24/7 Disaster Line to field calls for help following disasters. DLSU was established in 2022 with a disaster grant from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).