COOPER COUNTY – One year later, parts of Wooldridge still stand after a fire burned at least 3,000 acres and 23 structures.
But some of the town’s residents have picked up their lives and moved on to other communities.
Most homeowners who lost their homes in the October 2022 fire are displaced or still living in Wooldridge, but under tough conditions.
“We were scared, we were empty,” Jessica McComb, a former Wooldridge resident who lost her home in the fire, said. “We were all these emotions and physically exhausted.”
Officials activated Missouri’s statewide mutual aid effort to fight the fire, prompting at least 50 fire departments to respond.
One year later, Kathy Mapes is renovating the Wooldridge Community Club. She said the club was one of the few buildings not affected by the fire, like the town’s post office. But, it still needs updating. During the fire, the club’s building was not able to shelter first responders or citizens because it needed repairs.
“It was in horrible disrepair. It was just unusable,” Mapes, the treasurer of the club, said. She will assume the president’s role in January 2024.
Mapes said the community club is accepting membership applications.
State Insurance Dept. says most homes uninsured
Target 8 requested an incident report filed by Wooldridge Mayor Kelly Murphy that detailed how many insured homes were damaged in the fire.
There were 10 homes damaged in the fire, according to Mike O’Connell, the spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
Only two of the homes damaged had insurance, the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance confirmed.
There are 69 homeowner insurance companies that have over 1% of the homeowner’s insurance market in Cooper County, according to the insurance department. The listing doesn’t contain farm, county and town mutual property insurance companies established under Chapter 380, RSMo.
Wooldridge Mayor Murphy did not respond after numerous requests via email and cell phone for comment.
“It makes me sad that there were good people down here and they’re gone,” Mapes said. “It’s a floodplain. So, for any of them to rebuild, it’s just not feasible financially.”
What is a flood zone?
A flood zone map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shows much of Cooper County in a flood zone. Courtesy of Federal Emergency Management Agency▲
A floodplain or flood zone is an area of high and moderate to low flood risk. Due to Wooldridge’s and Cooper County’s proximity to the Missouri River, the area is in a flood zone.
Homeowners who have property in a flood zone are advised to purchase homeowner’s insurance and flood insurance, Carrie Couch, the division director of consumer affairs at the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, said.
“Your home is your largest investment,” Couch said. “So it’s important to have that protection.”
Why Wooldridge didn’t get financial aid from the government
O’Connell said the fire didn’t cause enough damage to uninsured property to declare a federal emergency.
“Missouri does not have a state law or budget appropriation for assistance to individuals if there is not a federal disaster declaration,” O’Connell said. “There is not a program to transfer state tax dollars to victims of a fire.”
Some families couldn’t afford any type of insurance. And with no federal or state aid on its way, they were stuck living under tough conditions.
Some who lost their homes still live on the same property, but in trailers instead of houses.
A family member of a Wooldridge resident who lives in one of the trailers said they are devastated.
They did not want to be interviewed, but they told Target 8 off-camera that their family member lives on a fixed income and couldn’t afford to rebuild their house.
Starting fresh
When homeowners didn’t have anywhere to sleep after the fire, some of them took shelter at the Open Bible Praise Center in Boonville. McComb and her family didn’t spend the night at the shelter on the night of the fire, but they eventually relocated to Boonville permanently.
“It’s family here, it’s always been,” McComb said.
She and her family lost their house, their dog and what they called a “beautiful” view of the Missouri River. They got $1,400 in April 2023 out of a local fundraiser in Boonville.
She said it’s impossible to prepare your mind for disaster, but she got through it because she prioritized her mental health.
“We learned the tools that cannot fix the problem for you, they can’t magically make money appear, they can’t magically get you a house,” McComb said. “But they can help you stabilize and get you tools to help you just gently be kind to yourself to get through it.”
The Boonslick Heartland YMCA helps McComb focus on the future, as she called it her second home. She said the family has lived in mid-Missouri since 2008.
Jessica McComb (left), a former Wooldridge resident, helps her daughter, Amira McComb (right), off the steps at the Boonslick Heartland YMCA in Boonville, Mo. Avery Grosvenor, KOMU 8 Reporter
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“When the fire happened, that was the first place we went,” McComb said. “I had not even washed my hair yet from the soot and smoke. We just wanted something that was normal.”
The insurance department said the state offers a program called the Missouri Property Insurance Placement Facility or the Missouri FAIR plan. It helps anyone in Missouri get coverage if they aren’t able to through the normal insurance market.
To fill out a form to see if you qualify, click here.
“Anger is a part of life. But I’m not going to let us stay there because we have joy and happiness that’s also on the table. But allow yourself enough time to grieve,” McComb said.