2 wildfires burn structures in hot, dry Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — At least four major wildfires fueled by hot, gusty weather Tuesday burned along the front of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, including two that together destroyed dozens of structures and chased people from hundreds of homes.

Thick smoke visible for miles billowed from fires that destroyed homes near Colorado Springs and three structures near Canon City. Fires also burned in southern Colorado and in Rocky Mountain National Park to the north.

A wildfire on roughly 12 square miles in a heavily wooded residential area northeast of Colorado Springs led to the mandatory evacuations of about 2,300 homes, affecting about 6,400 people, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said.

He estimated 40 to 60 homes have burned but said the number could easily rise. A more specific number wasn't available.

"Right now the firefighters are more focused on fighting fires, drawing lines. And law enforcement, to be very honest, is scrambling to get people out of there as well as do searches," Maketa said. He said firefighters have shifted from evacuation mode to search-and-rescue mode.

Six helicopters and an air tanker were at the scene to help firefighters, Maketa said. The office of Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said that after speaking with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, it had a verbal agreement for C-130 cargo planes to be deployed to the fire.

The area is not far from last summer's devastating Waldo Canyon Fire that destroyed 346 homes and killed two.

"It's very, very reminiscent of what we experienced in Waldo Canyon," Maketa said.

However there were no immediate reports of injuries in the fires Tuesday.

All of the fires were moving quickly, driven by record temperatures and strong winds. The conditions were making it difficult to build containment lines around the fire, and sparks jumped across them.

"Weather is not working with us right now, but our guys are giving it a heck of a shot," Maketa said.

In southern Colorado, the Bureau of Land Management said three structures have been lost in a fire on about 6 square miles near the Royal Gorge Bridge. Authorities evacuated Royal Gorge Bridge & Park.

A third wildfire in southern Colorado erupted Tuesday in rural Huerfano County. The Klikus Fire had burned an estimated 45 to 50 acres west of La Veta, prompting evacuation orders for about 200 residences.

The causes of those fires weren't immediately confirmed.

A fourth wildfire sparked by lightning Monday in Rocky Mountain National Park quickly grew to an estimated 300 to 400 acres Tuesday. No structures were threatened.

In the Colorado Springs area, George Gonzales, 74, and his wife were spending the night in their motorhome in the parking lot of a Red Cross shelter set up for evacuees from the Black Forest Fire. He said the two had been eating lunch in town when his daughter got an alert on her phone about the fire and called them.

An officer let them go back home to retrieve their dogs, their motorhome and truck, and his heart medicine, George Gonzales said.

"Sure, we're worried, but we're hoping for the best," he said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized federal funds to defray costs of fighting the Black Forest and Royal Gorge fires.

"There is nobody backing away and saying we're not going to attack this with everything that we've got," Gov. John Hickenlooper said at a news conference late Tuesday.

Via Yahoo News!

Wildfires burn across the South

Texas Forest Service responds to new fires across the stateSmoke continues to cover skies in Florida and Georgia41 fires burn across the country, says Fire Center

Dallas (CNN) -- A new fire in Texas forced home evacuations and consumed hundreds of acres, while fires in other states across the southwest and southeast challenged firefighters' efforts to contain them.

The Texas Forest Service responded to a new wildfire Thursday in Wheeler County in the Texas panhandle and expects more critical fire weather conditions across the west and northwest parts of the state, said the service in their daily report Friday.

The fire, although 90 percent contained, covered 500 acres and forced evacuation of three homes, the report said.

The Texas Forest Service and fire departments have battled 12,779 fires that burned more than 3 million acres since the beginning of fire season on Nov. 15, 2010. The report stated that 228 of Texas' 254 counties have burn bans in place.

In Florida, satellite pictures showed the extent of the fires' reach through blankets of smoke that covered much of Florida, parts of Georgia and some of the Atlantic Ocean. There are currently 14 active fires in rural Florida and Georgia, which have eaten up thousands of acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Currently, 41 active fires exist across the southwest and southeast. Firefighters contained eight fires Thursday, one in Arizona, Oklahoma and Florida and five in Texas, according to the NIFC.

CNN

Wildfires burn 1.4M acres in 12 states

(CNN) -- As a legion of firefighters battle the stubborn Wallow Fire in east central Arizona and west central New Mexico, colleagues in 10 other U.S. states also have their hands full with dozens more wildfires.

The Wallow fire is just one of 53 large uncontained wildfires burning in the United States, from Alaska to Florida, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. All told, the fires have burned 2,166 square miles or 1.4 million acres -- nearly the size of Delaware.

About 10,400 firefighters are involved in efforts to contain the fires, with more than 7,000 of them in Arizona and New Mexico, where fires have burned 853,518 acres, according to the center.

The largest of the fires continues to be the Wallow Fire, which has burned 527,774 acres so far, the fire's incident command team announced Tuesday, and is about 58% contained.

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While residents in Greer, Arizona, are being allowed to return home, evacuation orders remain in effect in other parts of Arizona and in Luna, New Mexico. Residents in parts of Apache County, Arizona, also have been told to be prepared to evacuate should the need arise.

Power has been fully restored in Alpine and Nutrioso, Arizona, but remains out in areas north of Blue River, fire officials said.

In Texas, a fast-moving fire near Grimes County destroyed at least 26 homes as it burned across more than 4,000 acres.

The fire was caused by homeowners grilling near Stoneham, Texas, CNN affiliate KHOU-TV reported.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said officials have identified a person of interest who is believed to have built the barbecue pit that started the fire, but as of now authorities do not believe there was any intent of arson.

The speed of the fire forced evacuations of whole subdivisions throughout the area.

Jerome Seeberger, who owns 40 acres of land in Grimes County, said there's just one word to describe the scene.

"Apocalypse," he told KHOU as he stood in front of a backdrop of charred trees. "I've never seen anything like this. Such a beautiful forest two days ago and now look at it."

In North Carolina, Forest Service officials said they are closely monitoring a fire in Pender County, which has burned more than 4,000 acres.

Though evacuations have not been ordered, residents of Pender County said they are worried. Diane Kuzina's voice broke as she described the fire's path. Kuzina owns land near the Pender County line.

"I don't want to lose my home," she said. "It's just scary."

The number of wildfires so far this year is below the 10-year average for the United States, according to the U.S. Forest Service. But the number of acres burned is three times that 10-year average, according to the agency.

While some state and local authorities have reported stretched resources from the widespread fires, Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told Congress last week that there's plenty of capacity to continue fighting fires.

The U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have about 16,000 trained firefighters available nationwide, Tidwell said.

The agency also has leftover funds from previous years to pay higher-than-usual firefighting costs.

CNN's Craig Bell contributed to this report.

CNN

McCain blames some Arizona wildfires on illegal immigrants

(CNN) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain is blaming illegal immigrants for starting some of the wildfires that have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres in Arizona.

"There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally," McCain, R-Arizona, said Saturday at a press conference. "The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border."

The Arizona senator, however, did not say what the evidence is, prompting a swift rebuke from Latino civil rights advocates.

"It's easier to fan the flames of intolerance, especially in Arizona," said Randy Parraz, a civil rights advocate who ran unsuccessfully against McCain as a Democratic candidate in 2010.

Parraz called McCain's remarks "careless and reckless" but not entirely surprising given the political climate in Arizona. The Latino advocate is co-founder of Citizens for a Better Arizona, a group trying the recall the legislator who authored the state's controversial anti-illegal immigration law.

Parraz said McCain "should know better" than to make such an accusation without presenting any facts.

McCain said that illegal immigrants set such fires either to send signals, keep warm or distract law enforcement agents. But he did not specify which fires allegedly had been started by illegal immigrants, nor did he identify his sources or provide details of the "substantial" evidence he cited.

Firefighters are currently battling five wildfires that have burned a combined 732,427 acres in Arizona, according to InciWeb, an online interagency database that tracks fires, floods and other disasters. The fires are under investigation and suspects have not been named. However, local media outlets have reported anecdotal cases of fires breaking out in areas where illegal immigrants have been known to cross the border.

Parraz said it is particularly distressing that immigrants are being blamed for destructive fires at a time when many are also being targeted given the state's unemployment, foreclosure and other economic issues.

"People are looking for someone to blame," he said, claiming it is too easy and convenient to target what he called one of Arizona's "most vulnerable populations."

Angelo Falcon, the president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, criticized McCain for what he called "increasingly blatant" political opportunism.

"The degree of irresponsible political pandering by Sen. McCain has no limits," Falcon said in an email to CNN. "With the lack of evidence, he might as well also blame aliens from outer space for the fires."

CNN

Crews battle Arizona wildfires, high winds

(CNN) -- Crews battling one of the worst wildfires in Arizona history prepared Monday to hold a 30-mile line against the advancing blaze even as accelerating winds threatened to undo their efforts, officials said.

The "Wallow Fire," as the blaze is known, has scorched 192,746 acres and has forced the evacuation of more than 2,200 people since it broke out May 29, officials said Monday morning. It is completely uncontained, officials said.

Officials ordered the immediate evacuation Sunday of residents in several eastern Arizona subdivisions and a ranch, including Escudilla Mountain Estates, Bonita, Dog Patch and the H-V Ranch.

Residents of the town of Greer, just seven miles from the wildfire's front line, remained under a pre-evacuation order Monday morning. Most chose not to wait and have already left, said Peter Frenzen, a spokesman for the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, which is overseeing firefighting efforts.

Are you there? Share your photos, videos and stories, but please stay safe.

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Forecasters said fire conditions could get much worse Monday as winds are expected to pick up as a low-pressure trough moves out of the state. The National Weather Service has projected winds of up to 30 mph in eastern Arizona. The weather service has also placed the northern half of the state under a red flag warning, which means that weather conditions are ripe for wildfires.

"It's not good," Tom Clemmons, a weather service meteorologist in Flagstaff, said of the forecast.

Officials and area residents complained of heavy smoke that has blanketed the area like fog.

"To me, it feels like I'm suffocating," Deanna Davis told CNN affiliate KTVK. "Smoke just sits in this valley and it sucks the air right out of you."

Davis, who manages Davis True Value Hardware store in Springerville, said the fire and resulting smoke had forced a run on her store from customers looking to buy masks.

Meanwhile Sunday, hundreds of firefighters took up position at the nearby mountain hamlet of Alpine to battle spot fires started by burning embers, said Brad Pitassi of the Southwest Area Incident Management Team.

"The head of the fire is knocking on Alpine's door," Pitassi told CNN. "We have spot fires in Alpine. The crews have been able to stop those fires from growing."

The town of Alpine was evacuated, along with the town of Nutrioso, officials said.

Among the evacuees was Jessie Walker, who along with his wife, Holly, abandoned the house he built in Nutrioso with his own hands to escape the approaching fire, according to Phoenix-based CNN affiliate KNXV.

"What a person don't realize is is how hard it is to face something like that," Walker told KNXV. "You think you're prepared for it, you think you're mentally prepared for it, physically prepared for it. You're not."

"It's hard," Walker said, fighting back tears.

The Walkers took as many of their possessions as they could even though there wasn't enough time to pack. Those belongings are now stored in a trailer out of harm's way. Walker said he has a brother who stayed behind.

"He wants to fight for what's his and I don't blame him," Walker said.

Frenzen on Monday said the fire had destroyed two buildings in Nutrioso. Leighayn Green told KNXV she hoped her family's home wasn't one of them.

"We're thinking positive it's not ours," Green said.

Wayne Whitby, another Nutrioso resident, sounded more fatalistic.

"Whatever is going to be is going to be," Whitby told KNXV. "We hope for the best."

The fire has bedeviled fire crews with its unpredictable path, thanks to wind gusts that have carried burning embers up to three miles.

"It's a very significant fire," Pitassi said, with "a lot of growth potential."

The U.S. Forest Service said the fire is the fourth largest in Arizona's history, but Pitassi said it is the third largest.

Many evacuees were waiting out the fire in Springerville, about 20 miles from the fire's frontline, where daily meetings are held at a local high school to update residents.

Bob and Jan Bullard said they had five minutes to evacuate their home in Nutrioso when the fire made a run at the small resort town near Greer.

"I'd like to hear that we can go home," Bob Bullard told KNXV.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who was briefed Saturday by fire officials, said she would consider seeking state or federal help for the county, if the situation grew worse.

Heavy smoke generated by the fire could be seen as far away as Albuquerque, New Mexico, where city officials warned residents to avoid outdoor activities and close windows and doors.

Light ash has been reported coating the ground in several areas of the city, according to Albuquerque-based CNN affiliate KOAT.

Various fires burning in Arizona in recent days, including the Wallow Fire, have destroyed more than 270,000 acres.

Among those fires was a wildfire in southeast Arizona that had burned more than 100,000 acres, fire officials said Sunday. That fire was about 55% contained, officials said.

CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Phil Gast and Dana Ford contributed to this report.

CNN

Large wildfires rage in Arizona

(CNN) -- One of the largest wildfires in Arizona history threatened mountain retreats and spread ash and smoke as far away as Albuquerque, New Mexico, more than 200 miles away, officials said Saturday.

Across the state, blazes have burned more than 250,000 acres.

More than 1,000 personnel were battling a large wildfire near Alpine in the east-central part of the state. The fire, of undetermined origin, had burned 140,000 acres by Saturday and prompted the evacuation of nearly 2,500 people.

It was completely uncontained Saturday afternoon.

"The fire is burning pretty fast and it's pretty large," said Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who visited the area Saturday. "It's a big fire and we hope that we get more encouraging news in the morning."

She said officials have so far spent some $3 million on efforts to put out the blaze and that she would consider asking the state or federal governments for help if the situation gets worse.

The fire, which began last weekend, has destroyed several log outbuildings and remained a large threat to vacation homes and other properties in Alpine and Nutrioso, said Sgt. Richard Guinn of the Apache County Sheriff's Office. Residents in those communities and a subdivision were evacuated.

"It looks like fog in St. John's right now," Guinn said.

Apache National Forest in Arizona was closed to all public entry.

The area is popular for outdoor activities, which include elk hunting, fly fishing and skiing in the winter.

"With school out we have a lot of campers," but campgrounds in the national forest were closed, Guinn said.

Eric Neitzel with the Show Low Fire Department told CNN Phoenix affiliate KNXV that the fire is "stubborn."

The town of Greer was given a pre-evacuation notice Friday night, Guinn said.

As a precaution, because of the smoke and ash, a local hospital moved its patients, although the emergency room remained open, Guinn said.

Winds were expected to subside somewhat Saturday, but firefighting conditions could be tougher Sunday, said Guinn.

Crews were throwing an arsenal of equipment against the wildfire, including nine helicopters, four air attack planes and nearly 80 ground vehicles.

Joyce Benjamin said the smoky skies caused her daughter River's asthma to flare up.

"She's having trouble breathing," Benjamin said.

Albuquerque city officials, northeast of the blaze, advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and close windows and doors when heavy smoke is visible or can be smelled. The smoke alert was issued through Monday morning. Light ash has been reported in several areas of the city, according to CNN affiliate KOAT.

A second fire in southeast Arizona had burned more than 90,000 acres but was 50% contained, fire officials reported Saturday. The cause was under investigation.

A mandatory evacuation order continued for the communities of Paradise, East Whitetail Canyon and the surrounding communities, according to KNXV.

Chiricahua National Monument is temporarily closed.

CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report.

CNN

Canada oil output cut as Alberta wildfires rage (Reuters)

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Canadian oil production cuts could more than double by Wednesday as companies move to protect employees and property from wildfires raging through northern Alberta and cope with the shutdown of a key pipeline.

Oil companies had shut in close to 50,000 barrels per day of production Tuesday because of wildfires in the Western Canadian province, one of the largest suppliers of crude to the United States. Further cuts are expected as big fields are closed in because they cannot ship their oil to market.

Spurred by warm temperatures and gusting winds, 100 wildfires are burning in Alberta, with 23 considered out of control in a fire season unlike any seen before.

"We are facing something largely unprecedented," Colin Lloyd, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, told reporters. "The situation overall is very dangerous."

Almost 260,000 acres (1,050 sq km) have burned since the emergency began over the weekend, more than the province lost to fire in all of 2010, officials said.

The worst damage is concentrated in the Lesser Slave Lake region of northern Alberta, about 200 km (125 miles) north of the provincial capital of Edmonton. There, fires destroyed 40 percent of the town of Slave Lake on the weekend, forcing officials to evacuate most of the 10,000 residents of the oil, gas and forestry hub.

There have been no official estimates of the cost of the fire damage yet.

For oil producers operating in the rugged, heavily forested region of northern Alberta, fires are a common threat. But the infernos seen over the past few days are surprising even seasoned industry veterans.

"I would think probably every year the industry has an issue with forest fires," said John Langille, vice-chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, the country's biggest independent oil producer. "I don't think any have been this dramatic -- certainly none have burned a town down."

The fires forced the closure of the southern leg of Plains All American Pipeline LP's Rainbow pipeline Sunday, the key conduit for oil producers in the region, shutting in tens of thousands of barrels of production.

Canadian Natural is slowing output at its Pelican Lake heavy oil field in Alberta, ahead of an increasingly likely shutdown, due to Rainbow's closure.

The company is filling up storage tanks at the 40,000 barrel a day facility and those are nearing capacity, President Steve Laut told reporters. When they fill, the field will have to be shut in, adding to the tally of production cuts.

Fire is threatening more of the company's northern Alberta properties as well. It evacuated 1,300 workers Monday from camps near its Horizon oil sands project when a blaze got within 150 meters (500 feet) of one facility.

As well, properties producing 3,125 bpd of oil and 8 million cubic feet of gas that are threatened by fire have been closed down.

Cenovus Energy Inc said Tuesday it is scaling back production at its 22,000 bpd Pelican Lake heavy oil field because of the Rainbow shutdown. Now pumping oil into storage, output at the field is down to 16,000 bpd and will be reduced further. Unless the line reopens, production will have to stop once storage tanks fill.

"We may reduce production even more tonight but we still anticipate our storage may be full sometime tomorrow," Rhona DelFrari, a spokeswoman for the company, said in an email.

Other producers that have suspended some operations include Penn West Petroleum Ltd, which has shut 25,000 to 30,000 barrels a day of oil production in north-central Alberta.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc also said Tuesday it has shut in its Cliffdale and Seal heavy oil properties in the Peace River region, which are served by the Rainbow line. The company did not detail how much those fields normally produce.

(Editing by Rob Wilson)

Yahoo! News

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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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One man's stand against Texas' wildfires

Texan puts up fight again wildfireSTORY HIGHLIGHTS Ken Mackey, 71, defies warnings by staying behind to protect his home from wildfire Mackey has lived at same house in Brad, Texas, since 1972 Everything around his home has been burned, including a store and a service station Brad is about 80 miles west of Fort WorthAre you there? Share your photos and video.

Brad, Texas (CNN) -- As far as places to make a last stand against a fast-moving wildfire go, a large woodpile has to rank among the worst.

But for five days, starting on Friday, Ken Mackey fought a blaze among the piles of cedar posts he sells for a living that are stacked 15 feet high outside his rural Texas home.

Mackey said authorities told him and his neighbors to evacuate as the wildfire began to bear down on the area around Brad, about 80 miles west of Fort Worth.

His answer to the officials, like much of the 71-year-old Texan's profanity-laced speech, can't be printed.

"What kind of a question is that, now listen!" Mackey said, treating an out-of-town reporter's inquiry about why he didn't take cover as an insult to his manhood.

"If your house is on fire or close to it, would you leave?"

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Windy conditions affect TX wildfires

Texas fires force hundreds to evacuateSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Fire burns into residential developments around Possum Kingdom LakeNEW: Fire draws within two miles of Graham, TexasOfficials say high winds, low humidity Tuesday will complicate containment effortsAir National Guard C-130s are on scene to drop fire retardant Dallas (CNN) -- With firefighting C-130s and helicopters flying overhead and another dry, hot, windy day in the forecast, ground crews tackled fires Tuesday that have already burned more than a million acres in Texas.

One fire near Possum Kingdom Lake, less than 70 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, had burned into residential areas and was threatening more than 600 homes, theTexas Forest Service reported Tuesday.

The fire more than doubled in size late Monday and overnight into Tuesday, said Forest Service spokesman Marq Webb, destroying or damaging an unknown number of homes in four or five neighborhoods around the lake. The fire had previously destroyed 31 homes, according to the agency.

Texas Forest Service: Fire dangers and advisories

Thick smoke caused visibility problems in some areas, the Brazos River Authority reported, and all roads leading into the area were closed, officials said.

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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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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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