Bastrop Wildfire Burns 500 Homes in Texas; Most Destructive in State History
A single huge wildfire engulfing central Texas ranchlands and suburbs has destroyed up to 500 homes by Monday evening, which makes it the most destructive single fire on state record.
Texas is currently under siege from at least 63 separate fires across the drought-affected state, which has led Gov. Rick Perry to appeal for federal assistance to tackle the blazes.
Overall the various blazes across the state have destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and have burnt down more than 3.6 million acres since fires begun last November.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The fires have escalated in recent weeks and resulted in the deaths of a woman and her young 18-month old baby in a mobile home that became engulfed in flames in Gregg County on Sunday.
Tropical Storm Lee has also contributed to the worsening situation, blowing strong winds across the state that have stoked the fires. In particular, the state’s largest fire in Bastrop County has been fanned to devastating effect by the strong gusts.
The Bastrop blaze has already forced the evacuation of 5,000 local residents and sent thick plumes of smoke over a massive area and over local towns and villages.
Rick Perry has advised that officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were expected to arrive in Texas as soon as Wednesday. He said, “I don't think we've ever seen a wildfire season like this. We've got a long way to go to get this thing contained.”
More than 250 fire crew workers are currently trying to tackle the blaze in Bastrop, being assisted by planes and helicopters that have been drafted in to drop water on the fires from above.
Jan Amen, a forest service spokeswoman in Bastrop, has reported to the media: “There's practically a fleet of aircraft in the air. Problem is, we have to share them with other fires because there's so many burning in the area.”
Commentators are saying that Tropical Storm Lee, which many had hoped would ease conditions in Texas with extensive rainfall, has done more harm than good; dropping very little rain and fanning and spreading the fires with its strong winds.
