Texas Wildfires Fueled by Gusty Winds Prompt Evacuations

EASTLAND, Texas (AP) — Fire crews in Texas made progress Saturday against a massive complex of wildfires that have killed a deputy sheriff and burned at least 50 homes, officials said.

“Progress has been made, but fire activity has picked up with rising temperatures and lower humidity,” said Matt Ford, spokesperson for Texas A&M Forest Services. He said about 25% of the flames were contained, up from about 4% late Friday as the fire burned thick brush and grass fields.

The fires had burned about 130 square miles (330 square kilometers), including about 70 square miles (185 square kilometers) in the Eastland Complex, according to the agency. That area is around 120 miles (193 kilometers) west of Dallas.

Gusty winds were expected to return Sunday, again raising the wildfire threat to critical levels in western and central Texas, Ford said.

“We are predicting weather severity to increase” Sunday, said Ford. “Fire activity may increase based on weather conditions (but) containment lines are holding” thus far.

The National Weather Service forecast for the area called for high temperatures in the low 80s on Sunday with winds of 15-20 mph (24-32 kph) and gusts up to 30 mph (48 kph).

The forecast also calls for a 90% chance of rain on Monday, which Ford said would be welcome, but the winds could shift and drive the fire in another direction.

“Any kind of water source or rain is going to be beneficial,” in extinguishing the flames, Ford said. “We’ll hope for the best and prepare for the worst.”

Gov. Greg Abbott said late Friday that at least 50 homes had been destroyed by flames with more possibly to be found. He declared a disaster in the 11 counties hardest hit by wildfires. The Texas A&M Forest Services warned that fires could also affect parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, and Nebraska and warned of an extreme fire risk in those states.

The Eastland County Sheriff’s Office released more details on the death of Deputy Sgt. Barbara Fenley. In a statement, the office said she was going door to door, getting residents to evacuate their homes Thursday and it was “last heard that she was going to check on an elderly individual.”

“With the extreme deteriorating conditions and low visibility from smoke, Sgt. Fenley ran off the roadway and was engulfed in the fire,” the sheriff’s statement said.

About 18,000 people live in Eastland County and about 475 homes were evacuated in the area, Ford said.

“We do have assessment teams on the ground investigating exactly how many homes were lost,” Ford said.

Several months of dry, windy weather have fueled deadly wildfires in Kansas and Oklahoma, including one a few weeks ago. In remote, western Nebraska ranching country, a large wildfire has been burning for several days. Meteorologists said they were hopeful that the expected rain showers early next week across the Plains would reduce the risk.

The fires caused hazy conditions hundreds of miles away and prompted automated phone messages from the Houston Fire Department and the city’s Office of Emergency Management on Friday alerting area residents to smoke and ash.

“We’ve been so dry that even an inch of rain would make a difference,” said Robb Lawson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Wichita, Kansas.

Smaller fires were burning in other parts of Texas, and Thursday’s low humidity and high winds created an ideal scenario for the blazes to quickly grow out of control. Texas A&M Forest Service had warned of a wildfire outbreak this week because of the forecast.

A nursing home in Rising Star was evacuated and residents were taken to a community center, Eastland County Today reported.

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth warned Friday that much of western and central Texas faces an elevated fire risk due to gusty winds and drought conditions. The weather service urged residents to check for local burn bans and use caution with anything that could start a grass fire.

“We had a fairly dry summer last year and that continued into the fall and winter,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Madison Gordon. With winter passing, “we now have a lot of fuel available in fields.”

A Baptist church in downtown Ranger, Texas, about 85 miles (140 kilometers) west of Fort Worth, was destroyed Thursday when flames engulfed the 103-year-old building. The police department and other historic buildings were also burned, Dallas TV station WFAA reported.

Roy Rodgers, a deacon at Second Baptist Church, said the third floor and roof collapsed and the rest of the building had extensive smoke and water damage. Rodgers said the church plans to hold its next Sunday service in a parking lot across the street, where the congregation will decide what to do.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Rodgers, a church member since 1969. “A lot of people are taking it pretty hard because a lot of people have ties to the church.”

The fire, which was fueled by high winds, may have started from a barbecue pit, Ranger Fire Department Chief Darrell Fox said.

“We had everything ready throughout the county,” Fox said. “But when we have the winds like there was … and the humidity down to nothing, this is what you’re going to get.”

The fires caused hazy conditions hundreds of miles away, with the Houston Fire Department and the city’s Office of Emergency Management on Friday morning sending out automated phone messages alerting area residents to smoke and ash.

About the photo: Jared Calvert exits the former Ranger Law Enforcement Center in Ranger, Texas Friday March 18, 2022. Fire crews in West Texas hope to make progress Saturday against a massive complex of wildfires that have killed one person and burned at least 50 homes, officials said. (Ronald W. Erdrich/The Abilene Reporter-News via AP)