Texas Ross Fire Expands to Over 78 Square Miles, Prompting Evacuations and School Closures
A rapidly spreading wildfire in north-central Texas has burned more than 78 square miles, leading to evacuation orders, school disruptions and the opening of shelters, while a separate blaze near Reno shows signs of containment.
A fast-moving wildfire that ignited early Monday in north-central Texas has engulfed over 78 square miles of ranchland across Palo Pinto and an adjacent county, prompting officials to order evacuations and close schools on Tuesday. The blaze, dubbed the Ross Fire, has destroyed at least five structures and remains only slightly contained, according to Palo Pinto County emergency officials.
"We’ve thrown everything at this, and we’re still having minimal effect," fire chief Danny Watkins said, describing the challenges faced by responders.
Local authorities have opened evacuation centers and arranged temporary animal shelters, with ranchers and a livestock commission offering barns for displaced livestock. Temperatures are expected to rise, raising concerns that the fire could continue to expand.
Meanwhile, in Nevada, firefighters have made progress containing the Hawk Fire near Reno, which has destroyed more than 30 homes across roughly 23 square miles. The fire is now 27% contained, and the number of residents under evacuation orders has fallen to about 63,000 from a peak of over 90,000. Officials attribute the Reno blaze to human activity, either intentional or accidental.
The incidents occur amid a broader surge in wildfires across the southern and western United States, where the National Interagency Fire Center reported a dozen new large fires on Sunday and more than 50,000 fires nationwide this year, the highest count in a decade for the same period.