Some residents used burned trees to rebuild in Bastrop
In Bastrop County, Texas, this past week more than 50 homes were destroyed and 4,500 acres burned in what’s being called the Hidden Pines fire. It’s about 70 percent contained now, but residents weren’t surprised it happened in the first place. Four years ago, that same county had the most destructive fire to ever hit Texas. Some residents packed up what was left and moved out. Some, like Kay Rogers, rebuilt.
Rogers bought 40 acres in Bastrop in the late 1970s because she said nearby Austin was getting too crowded. After the fire over Labor Day weekend in 2011, she lived in a camper next to the only thing left standing, her chimney. She said she didn’t think she would rebuild, and even visited Arkansas and North Carolina to scout out places to relocate. But then something changed.
She spoke with a friend who told Rogers she was taking some wood over to the sawmill in town. Rogers called the mill and asked if they could mill some of the trees that had burned in the fire. Click on the video above to hear and see what happened next.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
