Extensive Texas wildfires cause evacuations

Central Texas firefighters struggled Friday to contain massive wind-fired fires that razed homes, destroyed a church and left a police officer dead.

Strengthened by drought conditions, the fires interspersed in what authorities call a “complex” that burned near Eastland, about 195 kilometers (120 miles) west of Dallas. Hundreds of homes were evacuated in smaller communities.

Eastland County authorities reported the death of police officer Barbara Fenley, who they said was trying to save people from the fire. It is not clear how or when he died. No other victims have been reported.

By Friday afternoon, the fires had burned about 184 square kilometers (70.9 square miles), according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. They were contained only 4% and burned in thick thickets and grassy fields.

About 18,000 people live in Eastland County. Approximately 475 homes were evacuated in the city of Gorman, but authorities still don't know how many structures could have burned down, said Matthew Ford, spokesman for the Texas A&M Forest Service.

“Until we have more staff on the ground, we cannot give an estimate” of the figures, Ford said Friday morning. “Our top priority is life, safety and the protection of structures.”

However, Governor Greg Abbott said that at least 50 houses had burned down by Friday afternoon. It is possible that more damage will be detected, he said at a meeting with journalists.

The forest service warned that the “rare phenomenon of high-impact wildfires” could also affect parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. The Nebraska Forest Service said that most of the state will spend the weekend under extreme risk of fire due to drought conditions.

Several months of dry, windy weather have fueled deadly wildfires in Kansas and Oklahoma, including one a few weeks ago.

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The Associated Press journalist Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this firm.