DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. -- The Red Cross has responded to a record number of house fires this year. The organization steps in to provide families immediate relief with a place to stay, food, clothing and shelter in the event of a fire.

Just this weekend the Red Cross has responded to fires and helped families in Humansville, Willard and Dallas County as well as other cities in the ozarks, that's more than twenty four people, many of them children.

KOLR 10s Laurie Patton went to one familys home in Dallas county, right outside Long Lane, that was destroyed by fire Saturday morning. The family is now moving forward with help from the Red Cross.

It just spread when we opened up this door, Dennis and Jennifer McDowell are among hundreds of people who have lost all or part of their home to fire in the Ozarks this year.

It just ignited and went from there, the couple scrambled to get themselves and their pets out of the house in the dark.

We had no power in the house at all because it had already tripped the breaker. From the front of the house the damage doesn't look that bad, but the attic and the roof took the brunt of the fire", McDowell says.

The McDowell's 18 year old daughter was at work, or she would have been in the home.

Fire, smoke and water damaged the rest of the home making it unlivable.

The McDowells said the Red Cross put them up in a hotel along with other help.

The Red Cross was very good they were here shortly after the fire department got here they gave us three nights and helped us with some clothes and stuff.

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Red Cross Responds to Record Number of Fires This Year