Evacuations ordered as wind-whipped Ross Fire in Texas explodes to 50,000 acres

Evacuations were ordered as a rapidly spreading Ross Fire in Texas exploded to 80,000 acres, according to Texas A&M Forest Service. The wildfire, which began near Palo Pinto on Monday, forced evacuations in two counties and closed roads, officials reported. The fire's growth overnight increased its size from 50,000 acres on Tuesday to 80,000 acres on Wednesday.

With 12% of the fire contained, Texas authorities prioritized life safety and structure protection while establishing containment lines, the agency stated. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Meanwhile, firefighters in Nevada made progress on a massive brush fire, the Hawk Fire, which destroyed 47 homes and prompted the evacuation of 42,000 people.

Containment lines around the fire jumped from 27% to 85% by Wednesday morning, and officials believed the blaze had stopped short of the community of Somersett. The Hawk Fire is believed to be human-caused, but investigators have not yet determined the exact circumstances. In Washington state, 15 large uncontained fires have burned 800,000 acres since July, with the Little Giant Fire and Sinlahekin Fire being the most significant threats.

Both fires, sparked by lightning strikes, remain largely uncontained and are not endangering homes, according to Washington State Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Thomas Kyle-Milward.