Wildfires force evacuations in Oklahoma, Texas

Wildfires fueled by extremely dry conditions and strong winds have destroyed hundreds of homes in Oklahoma and Texas.

5 Seconds

00:00

Rocky Barr wipes away a tear as he surveys the remains of his home on Sanders Cemetery Road in Magnolia, Tex., on Monday. Fed by winds whipped up by the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, flames have streaked across drought-stricken Texas, where more than 190 fires have killed four people. The worst damage was in Bastrop, where two smaller fires joined to form a monster blaze that has destroyed more than 1,550 homes and charred more than 34,000 acres.

Karl Anderson / AP

Brice and Nicole Sellers survey the damage to their back yard in the Ranchcrest subdivision of Magnolia, Tex., on Monday.

Karl Anderson / AP

Javier Chaparro looks through the contents of his house, which was destroyed by wildfires in Bastrop, Tex. Chaparro, a professional musician, was hoping to find some of his instruments, but all appeared to have been incinerated.

Kelly West / AP

A crew from Whitehouse looks for flames to extinguish during a wildfire near Mixon, Tex.

Sarah A. Miller / AP

A Texas Forest Service plane dumps fire retardant at a wildfire near Mixon.

Sarah A. Miller / AP

Sept. 11, 2011

Ranch Crest resident Beverly Nichols, 72, returns to her home in Magnolia, Tex. The number of homes destroyed by a still-raging wildfire in Texas rose to 1,554 on Sunday and will increase further as emergency crews enter areas where the blaze has been extinguished. Seventeen people remain unaccounted for, but officials believe they could simply be out of town.

Mayra Beltran / AP

Sept. 11, 2011

Wildfire evacuees David Gabrile, left, and his wife, Mary Ann Gabrile, react after learning they will not be allowed to return to their home during a meeting in Waller, Tex., at Waller High School.

Melissa Phillip / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

Tommy Ratto, a firefighter from Lassen National Forest in California, cleans up a hot spot after the destructive wildfire in Bastrop, Tex. Officials in Texas say fire crews are making progress fighting a massive Texas wildfire, but concerns about hot spots are keeping thousands of residents in the Bastrop area from returning home.

Erich Schlegel / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

A fire burns in the wooded lots west of Hawk Road near Diana, Tex. Texas is in the midst of one of its worst wildfire outbreaks in state history. A perilous mix of hot temperatures, strong winds and a historic drought spawned the Bastrop area fire, the largest of the nearly 190 wildfires the state forest service says erupted this week, killing four people, destroying more than 1,500 homes and forcing thousands to evacuate the area.

Sarah A. Miller / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

Area landowners and fire officials watch from a hill as a Texas Forest Service airplane drops fire retardant in the wooded lots west of Hawk Road near Diana, Tex.

Sarah A. Miller / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

A DC-10 airplane drops fire retardant to help fight a large wildfire near Magnolia, Tex. The plane, capable of dropping 12,000 gallons of fire retardant, was assigned to Bastrop County in Central Texas, but was temporarily diverted to attack a "particularly aggressive fire" that has been burning across Montgomery, Grimes and Waller counties, said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Carman Apple. Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said he hopes the use of the plane reinforces the bulldozers that had been working through the night to contain the active fire inside an earthen berm.

Smiley N. Pool / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

Firefighters review a map of the Riley Road wildfire at a command center in Magnolia, Tex. The fire, which encompasses Grimes, Montgomery and Waller counties, has burned through more than 22,000 acres.

Eric S. Swist / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

A wildfire burns through a field in Magnolia, Tex.

Eric S. Swist / AP

Sept. 10, 2011

Heavy smoke hangs over Highway 71 in Bastrop, Tex., after authorities opened the highway on Saturday morning.

Erich Schlegel / Reuters

Sept. 10, 2011

A swimming pool sits behind a home destroyed by a wildfire in Bastrop, Tex.

Joshua Lott / Reuters

Sept. 10, 2011

Firefighter Gabe Gadino, from the Cleveland National Forest in California, works with a crew identifying and cutting down dangerous trees along Highway 71 in Texas.

Erich Schlegel / Reuters

Sept. 9, 2011

A fresh team of firefighters, who had just arrived from the Sequoia National Forest in California, line up to march in and douses hot spots on the fire near Bastrop, Tex.

LM Otero / AP

Sept. 9, 2011

A brush fire rages along Shelby Road in Rendon, Tex., on Friday.

Ron T. Ennis / AP

Sept. 9, 2011

A Texas National Guard member with the 822nd Engineering Battalion based in Abilene plows through bales of hay that caught fire Friday at a ranch off Cass County Road 1649 near Avinger.

Evan Lewis / AP

Sept. 9, 2011

The Dollar Lake fire smolders as Gov. John Kitzhaber tours from an Oregon Air National Guard Black Hawk helicopter during a flyover of the fire Friday on the north side of Mount Hood.

Rick Bowmer / AP

Sept. 9, 2011

Stairs sit in front of a home destroyed by wildfires near Whitney, Tex.

Duane A. Laverty / AP

Sept. 9, 2011

In a view from Portland, Ore., smoky haze from wildfires creates a brilliant sunrise.

Don Ryan / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Firefighter Patrick Shipp of Webster, Tex., prepares to rest after a day of fighting a wildfire near Bastrop.

LM Otero / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Jason Birdwell of the Ferris Fire Department hoses down a home in Jefferson, Tex. Nearly 1,400 homes have been destroyed about 25 miles east of Austin and about 5,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes.

Adam Sacasa / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Bastrop area residents look at burn maps showing the nearly 35,000-acre wildfire in Bastrop, Tex. The Bastrop County Complex fire, located about 30 miles southeast of Austin in the central part of the state, has destroyed up to 600 homes, the most of any single fire in Texas history.

Benjamin Sklar / Reuters

Sept. 8, 2011

Law enforcement officers block the road near a fast moving wildfire that damaged at least a dozen homes and threatened a power plant near Lake Whitney, Tex.

Rod Aydelotte / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Kelley Forester surveys the remains of what was once her grandmother's home in Bastrop, Tex.

Tamir Kalifa / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

A plane carries in fire retardant early to be dropped near Jefferson Tex.

Frank McConnell / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

U.S. Forestry Service firefighter Samantha McKelvy works on a putting out a hot spot of the wildfire that burned near Bastrop, Tex.

L.M. Otero / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Residents listen to government officials during a news conference regarding the nearly 35,000-acre wildfire in Bastrop, Tex.

Benjamin Sklar / Reuters

Sept. 8, 2011

Maud, Tex., Assistant Fire Chief Randy Braley watches a blaze on Highway 49 between Avinger and Jefferson, Tex.

Christena Dowsett / AP

Sept. 8, 2011

Mary Pierce, left, and Deb Boyd examine the remains of Pierce's home that was destroyed in Bastrop, Tex.

Eric Gay / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

At the convention center in Bastrop, Tex., last week, residents look at a map showing areas affected by wildfires.

Eric Gay / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

Smoke billows up the draw as a railroad trestle burns last week in Winchester Canyon, Idaho.

U.S. Forest Service / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

A home destroyed by wildfire is seen among burned trees near Bastrop, Tex.

Eric Gay / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

Acres of wildfires smolder in Cass County, Tex. Firefighters gained ground Wednesday against one of the most destructive wildfires in Texas history even as the number of homes lost reached almost 800, and an elite search team set out to find any victims in the smoking ruins.

Evan Lewis / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

Firefighters are worn out after battling a wildfire off Foster School Road near Needville, Tex.

Patric Schneider / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

Firefighters put out hot spots on a grass fire off Foster School Road near Needville Tex.

Patric Schneider / AP

Sept. 7, 2011

A park and playground sustains damage from a wildfire in the Ranch Crest subdivision of Magnolia, Tex.

Eric S. Swist / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

A NASA image from the International Space Station last week shows the Texas wildfires.

Ron Garan / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Curtis Heath throws a bucket of water on burning debris on Henry Knight's property near Linden, Tex.. Heath, his wife and son helped keep the fire from destroying the Knights' home and several out buildings. The group spent the day cutting fire breaks and battling flare-ups.

Evan Lewis / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Ken Smeltzer, right, hugs neighbor Heather Lutz, center, outside Steiner Ranch, Tex.

Danielle Villasana / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Fire damage is seen in an aerial image taken over the wildfires in the Bastrop, Tex., area. More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed in at least 57 wildfires across rain-starved Texas, most of them in one devastating blaze near Austin that is still raging out of control.

William Luther / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Wildfire smoke billows behind a home in the Crown Ranch subdivision near Montgomery, Tex.

Karl Anderson / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

A firefighter opens a hydrant to protect a house in the Crown Ranch subdivision in Montgomery, Tex.

Karl Anderson / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Blackened forest is left behind as large wildfire burns near Magnolia, Tex.

Smiley N. Pool / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

A National Forest Service truck patrols the fire line near the Crown Ranch subdivision in Montgomery, Tex.

Karl Anderson / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Fire spreads through a barn near Rugby, Tex. Law enforcement officers Tuesday had in custody a suspect who possibly had a connection to fires.

Sam Craft / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Car collector John Chapman fishes a burning log off one of his vehicles as he surveys the losses at his home in Bastrop, Tex. Chapman lost more than 170 cars to the wildfires.

Eric Gay / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

A house burns off of Texas State Highway 21.

Ryan Edwards / AP/Daily Texan

Sept. 6, 2011

A melted lamp post stands next to the remains of a house off of Texas State Highway 21. One of the most destructive wildfires in Texas history is plowing across rain-starved grasslands now littered with hundreds of charred homes.

Ryan Edwards / AP

Sept. 6, 2011

Josh Pendergrass. left, and Scott Quintanilla read information fact sheets regarding the status of current wildfires as they stand next to supplies of water near Bastrop, Tex. Wildfires sweeping across Texas have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, Gov. Rick Perry said. More than 3.6 million acres in Texas have been scorched by wildfires since November, fed by a continuing drought that has caused more than $5 billion in damage to the state's agricultural industry and shows no sign of easing any time soon. Authorities said two people were killed on Sunday.

Mike Stone / Reuters

Sept. 6, 2011

Laura Clements, left, and brother Ben, survey their fire-destroyed home in Bastrop, Tex. The Clements lost their home to fires Monday.

Eric Gay / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

Texas Gov. Rick Perry examines a map of Bastrop County during a fire briefing by county officials in Bastrop, Tex. A roaring wildfire raced unchecked Monday through rain-starved farm and ranchland in Texas, destroying nearly 500 homes during a rapid advance fanned in part by howling winds from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee.

Alberto MartÌnez / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

A series of large wildfires as seen heading east approaching Bastrop, Tex., on Highway 71. A roaring wildfire raced unchecked Monday through rain-starved farm and ranchland in Texas, destroying nearly 500 homes during a rapid advance fanned in part by howling winds from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee.

Erich Schlegel / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

Firefighters from Smithville Fire Department battle a large wildfire on Highway 71 near Smithville, Tex.

Erich Schlegel / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

Students from a local 4-H group drop off bottled water for firefighters and displaced residents at Magnolia High School where residents evacuated from their homes near a 300-acre wild fire gathered in Magnolia, Tex.

Eric S. Swist / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

A basketball net can be seen in the foreground as a home burns near Bastrop, Tex. Sixty separate wildfires, whipped by strong winds, were burning across Texas on Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least two people, officials said.

Mike Stone / Reuters

Sept. 5, 2011

The chimney of a house remains standing as the rest of the building burns to the ground near Bastrop, Tex.

Mike Stone / Reuters

Sept. 5, 2011

Resident George Harris looks on from a safe distance as firefighters attempt to control a blaze in Cedar Creek, Tex.

Thomas Allison / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

A helicopter drops water on a blaze in Cedar Creek, Tex.

Thomas Allison / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

Firefighters from around the state battle a large wildfire on Highway 71 near Smithville, Tex.

Erich Schlegel / AP

Sept. 5, 2011

Parts of trees and foliage catch flame in a wooded area off of County Road 320 in Anderson County, Tex. The fire in the area near Frankston originally began Thursday and rekindled Saturday morning.

Sarah A. Miller / AP

Sept. 1, 2011

Lone Camp Volunteer Fire Department chief Charlie Sims leads his crew while fighting a wildfire in Graford, Tex. More than 6,500 acres and more than 45 homes in the area have burned since Tuesday.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

Flames and smoke rise from above the trees as a wildfire burns near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex. Wildfires raged through Texas and Oklahoma threatening homes, buildings and charring thousands of acres of parched, dry land.

Mike Stone / Reuters

Sept. 1, 2011

A view of the destruction that wildfires have caused in Palo Pinto County, Tex.

Brandon Wade / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

A wildfire jumps a fire line in Graford, Tex.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

Joe Crawford of the Lone Camp Volunteer Fire Department tries to get a fire under control in Graford, Tex.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

Lone Camp Volunteer Fire Department chief Charlie Sims, left, briefs his team as they prepare to battle a wildfire in Graford, Tex.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

In Graford, Tex., Lone Camp Volunteer Fire Department Chief Charlie Sims lights a back-burn fire as his crew fights a wildfire. More than 6,500 acres and more than 45 homes in the area have burned since Tuesday.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Sept. 1, 2011

Helicopters drop water as a wildfire burns near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

Mike Stone / Reuters

Aug. 31, 2011

A helicopter returns to the lake to refill its tank for a water drop on fires near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex. A Texas Forest Service official says a wildfire in a popular North Texas vacation area has destroyed 39 homes.

Ron Jenkins / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Smoke rises from a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex. Texas and Oklahoma are in the grips of a record-setting drought, and a summer of soaring temperatures and little rain has meant the wildfire season, which usually ends in spring, didn’t end this year.

L.M. Otero / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Texas State Trooper Garry Allen stands guard in an area destroyed by a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

L.M. Otero / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

An air tanker drops fire retardant on a hot spot in an area destroyed by a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

L.M. Otero / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Firefighters assist in controlling hot spots on land behind a home in Oklahoma City. Wildfires have forced the closure of Interstate 44 in different parts of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the H.E. Bailey Turnpike was closed Wednesday because of a wildfire in the Rush Springs area. Farther north, the Turner Turnpike was closed east of Interstate 35 because of a fire in northeast Oklahoma City.

Jim Beckel / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Lawn furniture stand at a burned-down home near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

Ron Jenkins / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

A washer and dryer were destroyed by a wildfire near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

Ron Jenkins / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Smoke rises from a hot spot in an area overrun by a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.

L.M. Otero / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Mike Hester holds a cat he rescued from an area destroyed by a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex., the day the fire swept through the neighborhood and destroyed 25 homes.

L.M. Otero / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

C. J. Clark runs toward a car after the front seat burst into flames in Oklahoma City. Wildfires have forced the closure of Interstate 44 in different parts of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the H.E. Bailey Turnpike was closed Wednesday because of a wildfire in the Rush Springs area. Farther north, the Turner Turnpike was closed east of Interstate 35 because of a fire in northeast Oklahoma City.

Jim Beckel / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Melted material from a burned car streaks the ground in Oklahoma City following Tuesday's grass fires. Deputy Fire Chief Marc Woodard said a flyover Wednesday showed that a wildfire burned some 3,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes on the city's outskirts.

Sue Ogrocki / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

A utility pole burns during the wildfires near Possum Kingdom Lake, Tex.. A state Forest Service official says a fast-moving wildfire in a popular North Texas vacation area has destroyed 39 homes.

Ron Jenkins / AP

Aug. 30, 2011

A helicopter drops water near the entrance to the Cliffs resort on the southeast side of Possum Kingdom Lake in North Texas. A fast-moving wildfire destroyed at least 20 homes and prompted authorities to evacuate at least 125 others in a lakeside community, state Forest Service officials said, according to AP.

Robby Ferguson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram via AP

Aug. 30, 2011

Cattle move to avoid the flames of a large grass fire at a farm in the Oklahoma City area. Officials did not yet know what started the blazes, but a summer heat wave and drought in Oklahoma and Texas have left the ground parched and vegetation dry, AP reports.

Paul Hellstern / Oklahoman via AP

Aug. 30, 2011

Becky Schulz helps evacuate a horse from a miniature-horse farm as wildfires burn in Edmond, outside Oklahoma City.