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GRIFFIN: Want to take you to Texas, developments on the front lines of that massive wildfire. It just keeps getting worse, more houses, families homeless, lives wrecked. Jim Spellman have been covering this from Bastrop, one of the hardest- hit areas. Jim, you are seeing the worst of the worst right there.</s>JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I will tell you, this morning, Drew, it was really disheartening for a lot of people when they updated the homes destroyed number from about 500 to almost 1,400. A lot of people who were holding out hope that their home maybe survived even though it was in the fire zone inside the evacuation area, that has really dimmed for a lot of people. They have been releasing the specific street addresses of homes destroyed as they get them and posting on the wall here at this command center, and people when they find out obviously it's heartbreaking. We caught up with a few of them. Take a look.</s>SPELLMAN (voice-over): As firefighters begin to get control of the deadly Texas wildfire just a mile away, a makeshift command center becomes the new town square.</s>BILL LUDWIG, WILDFIRE VICTIM: Right here in</s>SPELLMAN: Bill Ludwig's home is inside the fire zone. But he doesn't yet know for sure if it's been destroyed.</s>LUDWIG: I'm shocked I guess mostly. Not knowing what the end result is going to be. I'm pretty convinced that I -- in my mind that it's not going to be good. But, you know, then trying to figure out where we go from here.</s>SPELLMAN: For Linda Arebalos, a single mom who's been raising her three children here, the news came in the form of a picture sent to her iPhone. (on camera): When you see these pictures, it must be just heartbreaking.</s>LINDA AREBALOS, WILDFIRE VICTIM: It is extremely heartbreaking.</s>SPELLMAN (voice-over): Her home and her van, gone.</s>AREBALOS: The house can be replaced. But I think all the memories is what really hurts, it hits the heart. I start thinking about my babies' pictures and the things they made in elementary and, you know, the things I put up to save to give to their kids -- and gone. You know, it hurts.</s>MANNY MANFRED, LOST HOME TO WILDFIRE: One-twenty-five.</s>SPELLMAN: Manny Manfred found his address on a list of destroyed homes. He's already decided he wouldn't rebuild.</s>M. MANFRED: No, because it would be very difficult. Even if you clean it all away and everything, to sit there and look at black charred monuments to the past.</s>SPELLMAN: He greets his wife, Vicky.</s>VICKY MANFRED, LOST HOME TO WILDFIRE: We lost everything.</s>M. MANFRED: I know.</s>SPELLMAN: Grateful that even though his home is gone, they're safe and together.</s>SPELLMAN: Drew, they have made progress against the fire here today. They're wary of how the wind is picking up, but they hope to roll out a reentry plan today and maybe even get some people back into certain areas later today -- Drew.</s>GRIFFIN: It's so hard to see those people who have lost everything they did own. Many of them had to get out so quickly. Have they had to leave animals behind? I'm wondering if you have any details on animals who have been rescued perhaps by some of these firefighters.</s>SPELLMAN: Yes, Drew, there has been people in there looking for pets. and some of the ranchers -- the ranches make up such a big part of the complexion of this part of the country. We spoke to one rancher yesterday. He was able to get his horses on the trailers and out, but literally, less than a half-an-hour to get out, all he could do was cut open the fence to give the cows, the pigs a chance to get out and at least try to get away from the fire. It will be really difficult for them to figure out what happened to the animals. Can they help them? There are already rescue centers set up. And will they be able to rebuild? And will this part of the country look the same after the fire is cleared as it did before? -- Drew.</s>GRIFFIN: Jim Spellman, just a tough situation there in Texas. Thanks, Jim. Don't forget to vote for today's "Choose the News" winner. Text 22360 for the story you want see. Your choices are, number one, for the Japan energy crisis, companies using less power, which means working on weekends, turning off lights, and no air conditioning. Text two for rhino rescue, science that may help an endangered species. Or text three for Gumby robber, a man dressed as a cartoon character trying to rob a store. We will show you that and other strange robbery disguises. The winning story airs later this hour.