Garden County Sheriff’s Family Loses Home in Morrill Fire

Sheriff Randy Ross and his family evacuated as the wildfire pushed into their area.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:33am

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Garden County Sheriff Randy Ross and his family were forced to evacuate their home as the Morrill Fire spread into their area. The Ross family encountered thick smoke, darkness, and flames on both sides of the road as they tried to flee, with Sheriff Ross even briefly losing the road and sideswiping his wife’s vehicle. The family was able to escape safely, but their home was destroyed in the blaze.

Why it matters

The Ross family’s experience highlights the personal toll that natural disasters can take, even on those responsible for responding to emergencies in their community. The story also underscores the importance of community support in the aftermath of such events.

The details

Sheriff Randy Ross had spent the day evacuating others from the Morrill Fire, but never expected to find himself in a similar situation. When the fire pushed into their area, Ross, his wife Jenna, and their three children had to quickly gather what they could and flee their home. The family encountered thick smoke, darkness, and flames on both sides of the road, with Sheriff Ross briefly losing the road and sideswiping his wife’s vehicle. Despite the harrowing experience, the Ross family was able to escape safely, though their home was destroyed in the blaze.

  • Late last week, the Ross family was forced to evacuate their home as the Morrill Fire pushed into their area.
  • As they tried to flee, the family encountered thick smoke, darkness, and flames on both sides of the road.

The players

Randy Ross

The Garden County Sheriff who was forced to evacuate his own home due to the Morrill Fire.

Jenna Ross

The wife of Sheriff Randy Ross, who was in the vehicle with her husband and their three children as they fled the approaching wildfire.

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What they’re saying

“I told the kids, I’m like, grab whatever you can, get your suitcases and just grab whatever you can fit in them.”

— Jenna Ross

“You never really thought to put that into perspective — what if it was me that had to grab things and get going? It was just crazy just to think, what do you take? What’s more important to you?”

— Randy Ross, Garden County Sheriff

“At that point when we did collide, I thought we were done for. That’s all that was running through my mind — that we weren’t going to make it.”

— Jenna Ross

What’s next

The Ross family is currently staying with friends and family as they begin the process of rebuilding their home and their lives after the devastating fire.

The takeaway

The Ross family’s harrowing experience serves as a sobering reminder of the personal toll that natural disasters can take, even on those responsible for responding to emergencies in their community. However, their story also highlights the importance of community support in the aftermath of such events, as the family has been surrounded by neighbors and loved ones during this difficult time.