Dry humidity, gusty winds spread wildfires across West Texas

Low humidity and gusty winds spread wildfires across parts of West Texas on Thursday, scorching thousands of acres and torching homes and other structures.

In Coleman, about 140 miles (225.31 kilometers) southwest of Fort Worth, the fire department said “multiple homes have been lost” and the Red Cross has been contacted to set up shelters.

In Ranger, about 85 miles (136.79 kilometers) west of Fort Worth, multiple structures burned on the fringes of the business district, including a church, Eastland County Today reported.

Nearby, several different-sized wildfires merged to form what fire officials refer to as a “complex,” burning almost 15000 acres (6070.29 hectares). Several neighborhoods and subdivisions in the region were evacuated.

No injuries were reported.