DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colorado — Some of Colorado's ranchers will need the help of the community to come back from this year's fires.
Lending some of the first is the Clover Clan 4H Club in Douglas County who know just how bad this really is.
“Just heartbreak because I know what's involved in running a ranch and how hard it is everyday every season every year that goes by,” said Dawn Arnt, the club's leader, who gathered the 4H kids at the Tractor Supply in Castle Rock Friday night.
They filled a 14-foot trailer with personal items for families who’ve evacuated, as well as animal feed and supplies for ranchers who have had to leave their properties.
The drive for feed, grass hay, buckets, clothing, non-perishable food, water and other personal items will continue in the upper parking lot of the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks will be required and they ask that donors remain in their cars for volunteers to unload their vehicles for them.
“We watch people walk in to buy one item and they come out with a whole cart full of feed for us,” she said of Friday night’s drive. “I'm very proud of my Douglas County community and of my Douglas County kids.”
Dawn expects Colorado's agriculture industry to take a hit thanks to relentless flames. She knows painful sacrifices and risks are being made.
RELATED: Colorado Gov. Polis discusses efforts to ensure social distancing amid wildfire evacuations
“We are losing heads of livestock because a lot of them are opening their gates and cutting their fences and letting them run. It's all they can do,” she said. “We're here for them and we're reaching out and we're hoping that maybe this eases a little bit of a burden.”
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Wildfires in Colorado