December 28, 2005
Wind-Driven Texas Wildfires
AP via Firehouse.com
By Sheila Flynn
Associated Press Writer
"Firefighters searched for missing people and hoped for cooler, calmer weather Wednesday after deadly wildfires raced across thousands of acres of grassland dried out by Texas' worst drought in decades and destroyed dozens of homes.
The wind-driven fires were blamed for four deaths, the Texas Division of Emergency Management said Wednesday.
In addition to the deaths, at least three people were unaccounted-for Wednesday in Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people, fire officials said. Firefighters were searching burned-out houses.
More than 100 buildings, including 78 homes, were destroyed by Tuesday's fires, which burned across 13,000 acres, the state emergency management agency said. That included about 25 homes in Cross Plains, local fire officials said. Blazes also destroyed at least two dozen homes in Oklahoma.
Fires were still smoldering Wednesday in four Texas counties, the agency said. One new fire was reported Wednesday in an isolated area of eastern Oklahoma; it was later contained...."
By Sheila Flynn
Associated Press Writer
"Firefighters searched for missing people and hoped for cooler, calmer weather Wednesday after deadly wildfires raced across thousands of acres of grassland dried out by Texas' worst drought in decades and destroyed dozens of homes.
The wind-driven fires were blamed for four deaths, the Texas Division of Emergency Management said Wednesday.
In addition to the deaths, at least three people were unaccounted-for Wednesday in Cross Plains, a town of about 1,000 people, fire officials said. Firefighters were searching burned-out houses.
More than 100 buildings, including 78 homes, were destroyed by Tuesday's fires, which burned across 13,000 acres, the state emergency management agency said. That included about 25 homes in Cross Plains, local fire officials said. Blazes also destroyed at least two dozen homes in Oklahoma.
Fires were still smoldering Wednesday in four Texas counties, the agency said. One new fire was reported Wednesday in an isolated area of eastern Oklahoma; it was later contained...."
