Fire crews in Central Texas struggled Friday to contain massive, windswept wildfires that burned homes, destroyed a church and left a sheriff’s deputy dead.
Strengthened by drought conditions, the fires merged to form what officials call a “complex” that was burning near Eastland, about 120 miles west of Dallas. Hundreds of homes were evacuated in smaller communities.
About 18,000 people live in Eastland County. About 475 homes were evacuated in the town of Gorman, but officials don’t yet know how many structures may have burned, said Matthew Ford, spokesman for Texas A&M Forest Service. 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 rain showers expected early next week across the Plains would reduce the risk.
A nursing home in Rising Star was evacuated and residents were taken to a community center, Eastland County Today reported. A Baptist church in downtown Ranger, Texas, about 85 miles 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.
The fire, which was fueled by high winds, may have started from a barbecue pit, Ranger Fire Department Chief Darrell Fox said.
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