The Bastrop wildfire burning near Austin, Texas, has become the most destructive fire in the state's history.

It has been estimated nearly 1,554 homes have been destroyed by the blaze, with the number expected to rise as the wildfire continues to burn. It has also scorched some 34,000 acres.

Seventeen people remain unaccounted for, but officials believe they could simply be out of town.

Fire officials said the fire is about 50 percent contained.

Meanwhile, Bastrop County schools will re-open on Monday. So many people are living in the town's Super 8, Best Western, and Holiday Inn that school buses will stop at all three.

Over the weekend, students handed out clothing and daily essentials to their teachers and classmates affected by the fire.

Some of the students said they hope school will bring some sense of normalcy back to their lives.

"Ready to go back to school. Tired of not seeing everybody. It will get their minds off it. A lot of them lost their homes," one student said.

"I know about 23 people who lost their homes -- pretty crazy," another student said.

Donation centers in the area have been so overwhelmed that they've stopped accepting clothing and other items.

The federal government on Friday declared Texas a disaster area, paving the way for individuals to get financial aid.