Texas plant that blew up carried $1M policy

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Texas fertilizer plant that exploded last month, killing 14 people, injuring more than 200 others and causing tens of millions of dollars in damage to the surrounding area had only $1 million in liability coverage, lawyers said Saturday.

Tyler lawyer Randy C. Roberts said he and other attorneys who have filed lawsuits against West Fertilizer's owners were told Thursday that the plant carried only $1 million in liability insurance. Brook Laskey, an attorney hired by the plant's insurer to represent West Fertilizer Co., confirmed the amount Saturday in an email to The Associated Press, after the Dallas Morning News first reported it.

"The bottom line is, this lack of insurance coverage is just consistent with the overall lack of responsibility we've seen from the fertilizer plant, starting from the fact that from day one they have yet to acknowledge responsibility," Roberts said.

Roberts said he expects the plant's owner to ask a judge to divide the $1 million in insurance money among the plaintiffs, several of whom he represents, and then file for bankruptcy.

He said he wasn't surprised that the plant was carrying such a small policy.

"It's rare for Texas to require insurance for any kind of hazardous activity," he said. "We have very little oversight of hazardous activities and even less regulation."

On April 17, a fire at the West Fertilizer Co. in West, a town 70 miles south of Dallas, was quickly followed by an earth-shaking explosion that left a 90-foot wide crater and damaged homes, schools and nursing home within a 37-block blast zone. Among those killed were 10 emergency responders.

State and federal investigators haven't determined what caused the blast.

The plant had reported just months before the blast that it had the capacity to store 270 tons of ammonium nitrate, but it was unknown how much was there at the time of the explosion.

Roberts said that even without a conclusive cause, negligence lawsuits can proceed.

"The law allows courts to presume negligence when something happens that would not ordinarily occur but for negligence," Roberts said. "A fire might be an unavoidable accident, but a fire of this magnitude resulting from a fire is not an unavoidable accident."

Lawyers will look for any other assets the company might have and search for other responsible parties, he said.

Via Yahoo News!

Atty: Texas plant that blew up carried $1M policy

DALLAS (AP) — A lawyer says that the Texas fertilizer plant that exploded last month, killing 14 people, injuring more than 200 others and damaging or destroying property for blocks in every direction was only insured for up to $1 million in liability.

Tyler lawyer Rancy C. Roberts said Saturday that he and other attorneys who have filed lawsuits against West Fertilizer's owners were told Thursday about the size of its policy.

An insurance industry group estimates that it may have caused up to $100 million in damage.

An attorney for United States Fire Insurance Co., of Morristown, N.J., confirmed the policy details to the Dallas Morning News (http://dallasne.ws/107cRT9 ). It didn't name the attorney. A company lawyer didn't immediately respond to a phone message Saturday left at his office by The Associated Press.

Via Yahoo News!

Progress made against Texas wildfire -- but new blazes erupt

A helicopter helps fight a fire around Possum Kingdom Lake in Palo Pinto County, Texas, on Thursday.NEW: A high school and several homes in Noble, Oklahoma, are evacuatedIn Texas, the 101 Ranch Fire is 50% containedSome evacuations have been lifted, an official saysFirefighters still battling hot spots in Oklahoma CityAre you there? Share your photos and video, but stay safe.

Brad, Texas (CNN) -- Firefighters have made some progress in battling a spreading wildfire in northern Texas, but dry conditions contributed to a rash of new fires as well, officials said Thursday.

The 101 Ranch Fire in Palo Pinto County had scorched 6,200 acres as of Thursday, according to the Texas Forest Service. The blaze is burning on Possum Kingdom Lake, near the town of Brad, about 100 miles west of Dallas.

However, "we feel much better about this fire today" as the blaze is now 50% contained, said John Nichols, spokesman for the forest service. Some evacuations were lifted, he said.

The flames have destroyed 40 homes and nine RVs, the Forest Service said Thursday. Firefighters were receiving support from aerial tankers and helicopters.

Authorities are working on a re-entry strategy for residents, said Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer, and they are trying to get the lake open for the Labor Day holiday.

On Wednesday, evacuations were ordered in several communities on the north side of the lake after the fire charged over a ridge and approached a dam on the lake, CNN affiliate WFAA reported. The Forest Service pulled out of its command observation post, telling journalists and onlookers to get out of the way of the flames.

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Tom Hardeston was among the residents watching helplessly. "My house is right through here, though it may be gone," he told WFAA.

Nearby ranchers battled to save their herds from the encroaching fire.

"I'm just moving them from pasture to pasture," Cindi McCoy told WFAA, referring to her livestock. "As one pasture burns, I'm moving them back to that one and bring(ing) them back around."

The Forest Service responded on Wednesday to 17 new fires burning a total of 4,146 acres. The largest of those is the Hornets Tank Fire, which had burned 3,000 acres and was 40% contained Thursday. It was burning in Briscoe County near Palo Duro Canyon, the nation's second-largest canyon behind the Grand Canyon.

In addition, the Legacy Fire had burned 3,400 acres in Howard County and was 10% contained Thursday, the Forest Service said. The blaze threatens numerous structures, but did not show much growth on Wednesday.

The weather forecast continued to predict mostly dry weather for the area, with high temperatures from the mid-90s into the 100s, the Forest Service said.

Texas is experiencing the worst fire season in state history. Since fire season began last November, a record 3.5 million acres have burned. Hot and dry weather combined with a historic drought have made conditions ripe for rapid fire growth.

In the past seven days, the Forest Service has responded to 224 fires burning a combined 31,541 acres.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Oklahoma, firefighters were battling hot spots Thursday from a wildfire in northeast Oklahoma City, Fire Chief Keith Bryant said. National Guard helicopters were assisting, Bryant said.

The blaze was one of two large brush fires that had covered more than 16 square miles on the city's north and south sides Wednesday, forcing some evacuations and closure of Interstate 40 and the Turner Turnpike. Both roads were later reopened, CNN affiliate KOCO said.

Thursday is "day three of very poor fire conditions for us," said David Barnes, Oklahoma County Emergency Manager. Firefighters, including some from around the state, are "kind of ragged," he said.

Barnes did not have an estimate on how many homes were lost on the city's north side. On Tuesday, a dozen were lost in that blaze.

Fighting the south side fire "went very well for us," he said. Three or four barns were lost, he said, along with one mobile home and one abandoned home.

In the nearby town of Noble, a high school and several houses were evacuated Thursday because of a spreading wildfire, authorities said.

Buses were called to the 880-student Noble High School when the fire moved close to the campus, said Grenda Lee, administrative assistant to the school superintendent.

Several agencies were fighting the Noble wildfire, police department communications officer John Lesher said.

The record-setting heat and drought plaguing Texas and Oklahoma -- as well as a heat wave experienced by other states -- result from abnormally strong high pressure over the Atlantic and Pacific.

The high pressure keeps the jet stream, typically a source of cooler air and precipitation, to the north, while winds funnel hot, tropical air into the south-central United States, according to NASA, which released satellite data Wednesday showing the phenomenon during July.

But the conditions persist, said CNN meteorologist Sean Morris. "The ridge of high pressure aloft refuses to release its grip. There are some subtle signs that it may weaken into next week and allow a tropical system to move into" southeastern Texas, he said. "This would have the potential to bring some very significant and beneficial rains to that area. But it looks like Oklahoma is going to remain high and dry."

CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

CNN

3 children, adult die in Texas mobile home fire

Three people were injured in the blazeThe cause of the fire is under investigation

(CNN) -- Four people, including three children, died early Sunday in a mobile home fire in Conroe, Texas, according to the town's fire chief.

The blaze was reported about 2:41 a.m., said Chief Ken Kreger, and five engines and a ladder company responded. The first unit on scene found the mobile home was "totally involved," he said. Three injured people were outside and told firefighters that others remained inside the mobile home.

Two children between the ages of 3 and 8 were pulled out of a bedroom that was not involved in the fire but had heavy smoke. They could not be revived, Kreger said. Firefighters found another child between 3 and 8 and a woman, believed to be about 27 years old, dead in another area.

An adult male and female had escaped through a door and pulled a 7-year-old girl out with them, he said. All three were taken to a hospital. The two adults were in stable condition after being treated for cuts and smoke inhalation, Kreger said. The 7-year-old was transported to a Houston hospital because she was having trouble breathing.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, Kreger said. Firefighters believed three separate families lived in the home. Autopsies were ordered on the victims, he said.

Conroe is about 40 miles north of Houston.

CNN's Maggie Schneider contributed to this report.

CNN

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Wildfires burn in south, central and west Texas

The remains of a home near Strawn, Texas,. Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires since wildfire season began.10 major fires are burning on more than half a million acres212 of the state's 254 counties are reporting burn bans, officials sayLow humidity and gusty winds are expected to create critical fire weather conditions75 homes are evacuated south of San Angelo, official says

(CNN) -- Strong winds whipped up wildfires in central, south and west Texas Friday, complicating efforts to bring various blazes there under control.

Texas Forest Service spokesman Bruce Palmer said the group's crews are battling at least 10 major fires, which have so far scorched more than half a million acres.

Winds were starting to pick up, he said, adding that about two-thirds of Texas is under a "red flag" warning, meaning that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will occur shortly.

The National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for much of central, south and west Texas, citing strong winds and relatively low humidity. It said gusts of up to 60 mph were possible in some places.

"It's just going to make things a lot more difficult," said Palmer. "It's extremely dangerous conditions."

The largest of those 10 fires is the so-called Rockhouse fire in west Texas. It has so far burned nearly 300,000 acres and is about 66 percent contained, according to forest service officials.

They said 212 of the state's 254 counties are reporting burn bans.

South of San Angelo, in central Texas, authorities have ordered the evacuation of 75 homes, according to Lt. Christina Lopez with the Tom Green County Sheriff's office. The city is not in danger and the evacuation order was precautionary, she said.

Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires across more than 1.5 million acres since this year's wildfire season began in late December, Gov. Rick Perry wrote earlier this month in a letter to President Barack Obama. Perry requested that the federal government declare Texas a disaster area. Fires have affected all but two of the state's 254 counties.

Perry laments lack of federal aid for wildfires

CNN

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Texas Governor Asks Residents to Pray for Rain Amid Extreme Drought

Published April 23, 2011

| FoxNews.com

Gov. Rick Perry, a devout Christian, is calling on all Texans to pray for rain as most of the state battles an extreme and exceptional drought.

Perry has proclaimed a three-day period, from Friday to Sunday, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the state.

"I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life," he wrote in the proclamation.

The drought has led to massive wildfires that have scored more than 1.8 million acres since last year, claimed the lives of two firefighters and destroyed nearly 400 homes. Perry declared a state of emergency in December.

This isn't the first time Perry has asked Texans for prayer in the midst of a disaster. Last year, he joined three other Gulf Coast state governors – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley -- who held a day of prayer more than two months after the BP oil spill.

While there hasn't been any public criticism of Perry's religious response so far, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is being targeted for her Day of Prayer proclamations.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, which has made elimination of the Day of Prayer a central cause of its existence, filed a lawsuit last month to prevent Brewer from declaring May 5 this year's "Day of Prayer" in Arizona. 

Filing the suit on behalf of four Arizonans identified as nonbelievers in religion, the foundation has also questioned the constitutionality of Brewer's proclamation in 2009 and 2010 as well as her Day of Prayer proclamation for the state budget on Jan. 17, 2010.

On Thursday, the governor told a court in Phoenix that she is in compliance with federal and state constitutional provisions. She also addressed the lawsuit during a prayer breakfast in which she said proclaiming a day of prayer is an American tradition dating back to George Washington's presidency.

"The lawsuit to stop our prayer proclamations is nothing more than an attempt to drive religious expression from the public square," she said. "I intend to fight that lawsuit -- vigorously -- every step of the way."

The group tried a similar tack against President Obama to prevent a National Day of Prayer, but a three-judge panel on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the case last week, ruling that the Freedom From Religion Foundation lacked standing. Brewer said she's confident of a similar outcome in the Arizona case.

Presidents have been annually marking days of prayer since 1952, when President Harry Truman signed a congressional resolution into law. Congress amended the law in 1988 to make the first Thursday in May the National Day of Prayer.

The Wisconsin group is seeking a rehearing of the case against Obama from the entire 7th Circuit Court.

"Our challenge is so strong, our claim is so correct," Foundation Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement. "The First Amendment says, 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.' No law should mean no law!"

Last fall, the group lost a legal challenge in Colorado that alleged the state violated its constitution by recognizing the National Day of Prayer. But a district court judge in Denver dismissed the case, saying the state proclamation is a lawful expression of an individual's right to practice religion. 

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Forecast is a mixed bag for Texas firefighters

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSForecaster: Higher humidity could help fight against wildfiresBut high winds could counteract the advantage, meteorologist saysWeekend thunderstorms could also bring threat of fire-sparking lightningFires have burned more than 1.4 million acres since January 1 Dallas (CNN) -- Hundreds of firefighters from across the United States faced a mixed forecast Friday in Texas as they continued to battle fires that have burned across more than 1.4 million acres of the state.

While higher humidity forecast for Friday could help slow the fires' advance, higher winds -- up to 25 miles per hour -- that are also in the forecast could also fan the flames, said Jennifer Dunn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

The PK Complex of fires burning west of Fort Worth continues to threaten hundreds of homes around the Possum Kingdom Lake, Caddo, Strawn, and Bunger communities, where more than 100 homes have been destroyed.

The largest fire, the 202,150-acre Rockhouse fire near Fort Davis was 75 percent contained as of Thursday night, according to the latest update provided by the Texas Forest Service.

Other fires include the 158,867-acre Wildcat fire north of San Angelo which was 30 percent contained as of Thursday night, and the Cooper Mountain Ranch fire in Kent, Stonewall, Scurry and Fisher counties. That 162,625-acre fire was 90 percent contained, the Forest Service said.

Cooler temperatures, higher humidity and rain helped firefighters make some advances Thursday, but thunderstorms in the forecast for the weekend could actually do more harm than good, forecasters warned.

Thunderstorms bring the threat of lightning, which can ignite new fires, Dunn said. They also may not bring enough rain to quench the dry ground and vegetation in Texas, which is undergoing an historic drought.

"If the storms are slow-moving and drop a lot of rain in some areas that would be beneficial," Dunn said. "But, if we're talking about scattered or isolated storms that are moving at a pretty good clip, they're not going to provide much help in this case."

West Texas averages nearly 15 inches of rain a year, according to David Hennig, a meteorologist in Midland. Over the past six months, just 13-hundredths of an inch of rain have been recorded in that part of the state.

While October through March is typically the dry season, that amount of rainfall is far below what it should be, Hennig said.

Friday marked the first day of a "Days of Prayer for Rain" proclamation issued by Gov. Rick Perry.

Perry's resolution urges "Texans of all faiths and religious traditions" to pray for "an end to this ongoing drought and these devastating wildfires."

CNN's Matt Cherry contributed to this report.

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Dry winds hamper efforts to battle Texas fires

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSMore than a million acres burn in TexasOn Wednesday, emergency personnel respond to four new firesThe new blazes are across more than 1,000 acres West Texas is in the middle of an extended droughtAre you there? Share your photos and video.

Dallas (CNN) -- Fire-friendly conditions are expected to return Thursday in various parts of Texas, where thousands of firefighters have been battling blazes that have scorched more than a million acres.

And Mother Nature's not cooperating -- warm, dry winds are blowing across the already bone-dry landscape.

"Even if we get 2 inches of rain, the ground's going to eat it up," said David Hennig, a meteorologist in Midland, Texas. "We need a pattern shift."

High-res photos: Wildfires blaze across Texas

West Texas averages nearly 15 inches of rain a year, according to Hennig.

In the past six months, only 13-hundredths of an inch of rain have been recorded in that part of the state.

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Firefighters from 34 states battle Texas blazes

Western wildfires eat up TexasSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Texas burning "from border to border," forest service spokeswoman saysNEW: A cold front is expected to bring rain and lower the fire threat WednesdayNEW: The threat is likely to return Thursday for parts of west TexasMore than 170 homes have been destroyed by firesRead more about this story from CNN affiliates WFAA and KTVT.

Dallas (CNN) -- Texas firefighters on Wednesday continued to battle blazes that have scorched a million acres and have been burning for more than a week, according to the Texas Fire Service.

"We're actually seeing Texas burn from border to border. We've got it in West Texas, in East Texas, in North Texas in South Texas - It's all over the state," Texas Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor told CNN Radio. "We've got one in the Dallas area that's four fires that have actually merged together."

Saginor said firefighters from 34 states are now in Texas battling blazes that, over the past two weeks, have destroyed 170 homes and scorched 1 million acres.

"Some (fires) are over 100,000 acres, and they've been burning for over a week, so that's our priority right now," Saginor said, "to put out the big ones.

Wildfire ravages home but spares family roosters

Much of Texas, however is expected to get a break Wednesday from the dry weather and high winds blamed for the spreading wildfires, according to the National Weather Service. However, the fire danger is likely to return Thursday for various parts of the state, the weather service said.

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Obama to Texas Reporter: 'Let Me Finish My Answers Next Time'

"FILE - In this President Barack Obama outlines his fiscal policy during an address at George Washington University in Washington. Obama said in April that he wants to do away with tax breaks to lower the rates and to reduce government borrowing. His proposal would result in $1 trillion in tax increases over the next 12 years. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)" /

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Ex-U.S. commander in Iraq may run for Senate in Texas

Updated at 10 a.m. ET

Several news organizations are reporting that retired Army lieutenant general Ricardo Sanchez, a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, is close to mounting a bid for the U.S. Senate in Texas.

Politico confirmed that Sanchez, who retired in 2006, appears to have been recruited by Democrats for the race to succeed GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is not running for re-election next year.

Sanchez was commander of coalition forces in Iraq at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal, in which Iraqi prisoners were abused during aggressive interrogations. Sanchez, who now lives in San Antonio, told The Monitor of McAllen, Texas, in 2006 that he was forced to retire because of Abu Ghraib. In his 2008 memoir, he was critical of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war.

Democrats face an uphill battle in Texas, where Republicans hold every major statewide office. Republican John McCain easily won the 2008 presidential campaign in Texas, outpacing Democrat Barack Obama, 55%-44%.

Still, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray placed Texas on her list of six states that her party can win in the 2012 elections. Part of that, she said, is attributed to the changing demographics of the state, which has grown and become more Hispanic since the 2000 Census.

Matt Canter, a DSCC spokesman, had this to say about Sanchez:

General Sanchez has spent his entire life serving our country, and there's no question he would be a strong candidate if he decides to continue to serve his country in the U.S. Senate. He has a tremendous life story, growing up poor, rising to the rank of general in the Army, and bravely leading more than a hundred thousand troops in both Gulf Wars. He would bring a new perspective to the Senate, as well as a proven commitment to our nation's security and the men and women who fight to protect it. He's exactly the kind of independent leader who can win in Texas.

A host of big-name Republicans -- including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, and former Texas Railroad commissioner Michael Williams -- are considering running for the GOP Senate nomination in Texas next year.

Brian Walsh, communications director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said today that the GOP looks forward to hearing Sanchez's stance on issues. The NRSC stands ready for a fight.

"Whomever the Democrats ultimately nominate, Republicans can only hope that person campaigns side-by-side with Barack Obama in Texas and national Democrats decide to spend millions of dollars in the Lone Star state," Walsh said.

Sanchez's candidacy was first reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The retired officer said he would "neither confirm nor deny" his possible candidacy.

Tags:Kay Bailey HutchisonPatty MurrayRicardo Sanchez .div-wrapper

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Austin, Texas, wildfire contained; 18 homes damaged

in drought-stricken Texas.

The fire in southwest Austin destroyed at least eight homes and damaged 10 others. The suspect, whose name has not been released, is charged with reckless endangerment. He is being held on $50,000 bond.

About 200 homes had been evacuated, but many of those residents were being allowed back in late Sunday. Two streets were still closed to traffic and residents, Smith said.

Lindsey Senn fled her house after hearing neighbors banging on doors and shouting warnings. The 22-year-old said she looked out her door, saw smoke everywhere, grabbed her pets and left.

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Fires burn across Texas with no end in sight

Hundreds of fires threaten TexasSTORY HIGHLIGHTSSpring winds combined with dry conditions typical of late summer have "not boded well"A Forest Service spokeswoman says conditions in Texas are the driest since 1917Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires across more than 1.5 million acres since this year's wildfire season beganIn southwest Austin, 10 homes suffered major damage Dallas (CNN) -- Dozens of large fires burned out of control Monday in Texas in what officials described as unprecedented conditions that show no signs of abating soon.

"We're experiencing conditions never seen in Texas before," said Marq Webb, a public information officer with the Texas Forest Service, which was devoting massive resources to the effort. "Yesterday, we had 1,400 people and that number will go up today," Webb said Monday in a telephone interview from the service's incident command center in Merkel just west of Abilene.

In all, the Forest Service has been asked to help battle fires covering some 700,000 acres, he said.

Thirty-one fires were being fought in East Texas; another 11 fires in West Texas, officials said.

RELATED TOPICSFiresWildfiresRick Perry"We've had 19 consecutive days of just super-dry weather, relative humidities in the single digits," said Forest Service spokeswoman C.J. Norvell in Midland. "What we're seeing right now is winds that are typical of spring, but everything else is typical of late summer -- no rain, vegetation that's just super dry. When you combine those two, it really has not boded well."

The Wildcat Fire just north of San Angelo has led to the evacuation of hundreds of people from their homes, Norvell said. The same fire threatens three small communities just north of Saint Angelo -- Robert Lee, Bronte and Tennyson, she said.

A predicted change in wind direction from south to southwest could worsen the prognosis, she said. "This little change is going to test some infrastructure and fire lines that we've set up," she said.

The fires have a variety of causes -- some of them acts of nature, such as lightning strikes -- but most of them acts of man, said Webb. Those include anything from fence welding to debris burning, despite the fact that burn bans are in effect for 195 of the state's 254 counties, he said.

Texas authorities have made an arrest in connection with one of hundreds of blazes scorching the state in what a Forest Service official called the "perfect storm for wildfires."

A man was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, which is a felony under Texas law, Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said early Monday. The man, whom authorities did not immediately identify, was being held under a $50,000 bond.

According to Buck, the man started a campfire at a homeless camp in a remote area, which got out of control and prompted evacuations. The fire burned about 60 acres.

"We're experiencing conditions we've never seen in Texas before," he said. "We have a huge area of Texas with abundant fuels and they are tinder dry -- and I'm talking about probably half of the state."

Monday's forecast was worse than Sunday's, "and tomorrow's supposed to be worse than today," he said. Though temperatures are expected to dip Wednesday, they were predicted to ramp back up on Thursday and Friday.

Such weather has taxed the resources available to fight the fires. "We're stretched pretty thin right now," Webb said.

Conditions this spring are the driest they've been in Texas since 1917, said a Texas Forest Service spokeswoman.

Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires across more than 1.5 million acres since this year's wildfire season began, Gov. Rick Perry wrote over the weekend in a letter to President Barack Obama. Perry requested that the federal government declare Texas a disaster area. Fires have affected all but two of the state's 254 counties.

Perry noted that one firefighter has died and 18 others have been injured, while 244 homes have been destroyed and another 8,514 threatened residences "saved."

In the Possum Kingdom complex west of Fort Worth, approximately 90 head of cattle were killed by the fire, said Webb.

In southwest Austin, 10 homes suffered major damage and six suffered minor damage in a 100-acre area, said Matt Curtis, a spokesman for Mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis said Monday morning that the fire was contained, though firefighters were expected to spend the day looking for potential flareups and hot spots.

Officials were to decide later in the day whether to allow evacuees -- some 50 of whom spent the night at a shelter -- to return home, Curtis said.

"Luckily, this fire happened in a somewhat unpopulated part of that neighborhood," he said. The multi-jurisdictional effort included the Austin Police Department, the Austin-Travis County Fire Department, the Austin-Travis County EMS, the Travis County Sheriff's Department and the Texas Forest Service.

"The mayor, who has lived in Austin all 72 of his years described this as the largest fire he had ever seen in Austin and largest multi-jurisdictional effort," Curtis said.

CNN's Leslie Tripp and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.

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Wildfires threaten Texas communities

A complex of wildfires 70 to 80 miles west of Fort Worth around and south of Possum Kingdom Reservoir had burned about 32,000 acres and destroyed an undetermined number of homes Sunday, said Texas Forest Service spokesman Marq Webb. Another 31 homes had been lost to the fires as of Saturday night. Subdivisions in the area were evacuated Sunday, as well as the 70 residents of the Caddo community and the 750 who live in Strawn, Webb said.

A grass fire in southwestern Austin damaged at least 10 homes and put as many as 10 others in imminent threat Sunday. The fire burned 30 to 40 acres in the Oak Hill section of the capital city before state helicopters lifting large buckets filled from nearby lakes dropped water on burning grass and homes.

Two four-engine C-130 aircraft later joined the effort, and the once-dense column of black smoke had lessened significantly as the contained fire burned close to the ground. Nearby major roads were reopened.

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell said the fire is contained but not yet under control. Fire Chief Rhoda Kerr said the conditions are still extremely favorable for more fires to occur, because it

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Calmer winds could help Texas firefighters

Deffibaugh said.

The evacuations included the entire 1,200-resident town of Gorman in West Texas, but the city manager in nearby Eastland said Saturday the evacuation order had been lifted.

Fires destroyed at least 60 homes Friday, burning across about 655 square miles around the state, the Texas Forest Service said. Some of the fires have been burning for a week or more, including three in West Texas that have charred a combined 400,000 acres, the equivalent of more than half of the state of Rhode Island.

Volunteer firefighter Gregory M. Simmons, 51, died while battling a 3,000-acre blaze Friday afternoon near Eastland, Mayor Mark Pipkin said. Simmons had been a firefighter for two decades, including 11 years in Eastland, the mayor said.

Simmons and other firefighters fled their truck as it was being overrun by flames, and Simmons fell in a ditch, where the fire caught him, said Justice of the Peace James King, who pronounced Simmons dead at the scene along a rural road.

The combination of powerful winds and low humidity Friday was rare for north central Texas, said Dennis Cavanaugh of the National Weather Service. Winds were expected to be around 10 mph Saturday after whipping in the 50 mph range a day earlier. Humidity readings were expected to remain low, possibly in the single digits, Cavanaugh said.

Roads reopened Saturday around Possum Kingdom Lake, allowing residents to assess damage in a popular recreation area where at least 30 homes burned, Deffibaugh said.

The blaze left a thick gray haze across the sky Friday as it burned about 20,000 acres around the lake. By nightfall, a deep red glow hovered on the horizon as thick billows of smoke were illuminated by the flames.

Officials closed the surrounding state park and evacuated campsites earlier Friday, fearing the fire would block off the only access roads to the wooded area.

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Still no containment on large wildfires in Texas, officials say

A fire over 16,500 acres in Midland County, Texas, has burned more than 30 homes. STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Presidio County's wildfire is now the largest, having grown to 80,000 acresThirty to 40 homes have been destroyed in Presidio CountyGov. Rick Perry has renewed a disaster proclamation for all of Texas' 249 counties Red flag warnings remain in effect for southern counties in TexasRELATED TOPICSTexasWildfiresTexas Forest ServiceRick PerryOklahoma (CNN) -- The battle to contain large Texas wildfires responsible for destroying close to 100 homes and other structures continued Monday.

The largest blaze, which has destroyed 30 to 40 homes in Fort Davis in Presidio County, has grown to 80,000 acres with 10% containment, the Texas Forest Service said.

The agency has deployed three air tankers, 60 firefighters, bulldozers and other equipment and personnel in addition to a host of other state and local resources to focus on this blaze.

KWES-TV: Parts of West Texas ravaged by fires

Another 34 homes have burned in Midland County due to a fire over 16,500 acres that the state agency on Sunday described as "very active" and not at all contained, officials said.

A Red Cross shelter has been set up at Midland College for those displaced or otherwise affected by this wildfire.

"(Firefighters) can't outrun it," said Alan Craft, a spokesman for the state's Lone Star Incident Management Team.

Another large fire is burning in three Texas counties and has scorched more than 71,000 acres, according to the state Forest Service.

As of Sunday night, the blaze across parts of Stonewall, Knox and King counties was totally uncontained despite the use of air resources, bulldozers, fire engines and other tools and personnel, a statement from the Forest Service said.

There have been no evacuations yet related to another 60,000-acre blaze, this one in Potter and Moore counties near the city of Masterson. That fire is 50% contained but is still considered a threat to the towns of Dumas and Sunray, the Forest Service said.

Gov. Rick Perry renewed a disaster proclamation in effect for all of Texas' 249 counties -- even though major fires are occurring in only 13 of them -- to expedite assistance in case of new fires, his office said Sunday.

In addition to more than 750 personnel working with the Texas Forest Service, the governor's statement noted that two Blackhawk helicopters from the Texas Military Forces, bulldozers from the state transportation department and resources from 60 fire departments statewide were part of the effort.

Improved wind conditions over the past couple of days have helped firefighters in their battle, but dry conditions remain and still pose a problem, CNN meteorologist Monica O'Connor said Monday.

Six new wildfires reported on Sunday were quickly brought under control, the Texas Forest Service said.

Authorities in the Lone Star State have responded to 6,831 fires over 643,000 acres since wildfire season began.

Texas is not alone, as wildfires are burning in large swaths of the Southwest and Midwest, fanned in part by dry, warm and windy conditions.

In the past few days, the National Weather Service has issued "red flag warnings" for New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin on Sunday extended a state of emergency for seven counties. The designation authorizes state agencies to make emergency purchases needed to quickly deliver resources to local jurisdictions, the state's emergency operations center said.

Parts of Oklahoma remain under a "fire weather watch," which means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur.

Many southern counties in Texas are under a "red flag warning," meaning conditions have created the potential for explosive fire growth.

The National Weather Service's website urges residents to exercise extreme care with respect to all outdoor activities that could inadvertently cause wildfires.

CNN's Stephanie Gallman, Mariano Castillo and Kara Devlin contributed to this report.

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Agency: Fire could be worst in Texas history

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Texas Forest Service braces for more wildfires SundayNEW: Weather conditions for wildfires could be among the worst ever, agency says. Firefighters battle 18 blazes across the stateA grass fire in Oklahoma forces evacuations (CNN) -- Texas Forest Service officials on Sunday braced for what could be one of the worst days in the state's history for battling wildfires, according to the agency.

Relentless heavy winds and dry weather, according to the Forest Service, could even spawn a rash of wildfires similar to those that swept across the southern plains states on April 9, 2009. Those fires, the agency stated on its website, scorched 147,924 acres, destroyed 111 homes and killed four people.

"Wildfire weather conditions on Sunday could shape up to be among the worst in Texas history," the Forest Service stated.

Strong winds whipped up wildfires across north and west Texas Saturday.

Texas Forest Service spokesman Alan Craft said the group's crews on Saturday battled 18 fires, the largest of which was the Swenson Fire, located in northern Texas.

That blaze burned some 61,500 acres and destroyed at least one home, said Craft. As of late Saturday, the blaze had not been contained, officials said.

The National Weather Service, citing strong winds and relatively low humidity, has issued a red flag warning for the western parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Elsewhere in the U.S. southwest, a grass fire burning just south of Cleveland, Oklahoma prompted evacuations on Saturday.

As many as 70 firefighters were involved in the response, as well as three helicopters, said Terry Dennis, a spokesman with the Cleveland Fire Department. Twelve families checked into a Red Cross shelter, but more were evacuated, he said.

Dennis said Saturday there had been no reports of injuries.

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Homes burned, threatened by massive fire in Texas

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSFire burns more than 71,786 acres in three countiesFire traveled 12 miles in less than four hours, official saidTwo homes burned, 12 others are threatened, according to the Texas Forest Service (CNN) -- A fast-moving fire has charred more than 71,786 acres in three Texas counties, and it's expected to grow, the state's forest service said Friday.

The blaze, which started in Stonewall County, moved quickly into neighboring Knox and King counties, destroying two homes and threatening at least a dozen more, said April Saginor, a Texas Forest Service worker.

According to Saginor, on Thursday, the flames traveled 12 miles in less than four hours, jumping the Brazos River and leaving only charred debris in its path.

Air tankers have dropped at least 58,000 gallons of retardant on the massive fire, and officials said they believe it will take several more days before they get it under control.

"Last night, it looked like it was snowing because there was white ash falling from the sky," Knox County attorney Megan Suarez said.

Despite heavy smoke and zero containment of the fire in Knox County, Suarez said there have been no evacuations so far.

Local officials are handling an unconfirmed number of evacuations in other counties, Saginor said.

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Supreme Court blocks Texas execution using new drug cocktail

Update at 2:56 p.m. ET: In its brief ruling, the court gave prosecutors 30 days to respond to the defense petition, after which the Supreme Court will decide if the appeal has merit. Foster's defense team said they are encouraged by the ruling."It's not a common procedural posture," Maurie Levin, a University of Texas law professor and one of Foster's attorneys, said. "We're very happy for the stay and that the Supreme Court will be looking at important issues raised."

Cleve Foster, 47, blames his conviction on lawyers he didn't trust, what he called false testimony from police and prosecutors he contends misled jurors. "To me, they were pretty much pulling stuff out of their hats," he told the AP previously from death row.

Earlier posting: The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked an execution in Texas that was to be the state's first with new drug cocktail.

Cleve Foster was to have been executed this evening for killing a Sudanese woman in Fort Worth in 2002.

It would have been the first Texas execution since the state switched to pentobarbital in its lethal three-drug mixture, the Associated Press reports.

In its ruling today, the high court agreed to reconsider its January order denying the 47-year-old's appeal. That appeal had raised claims of innocence and poor legal help during his trial and early stages of his appeals.

Foster's lawyers also argued that Texas prison officials violated administrative procedures when they announced the switch to pentobarbital from sodium thiopental.

There is a national shortage of sodium thiopental, which has been used already in executions in Oklahoma and Ohio.

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