Thousands of square kilometers of forest are on fire in the U.S. state of Texas. The fierce fires threaten residential areas.
Persistent drought and unfavorable winds are the reason why the fires spread from the west of Texas also to the east, where they now threaten more residential areas. According to the authorities are almost 150 000 square kilometers more than 600 homes affected, dozens have already been destroyed. 90 percent of the Texas Natural Park Possum Kingdom State Park were also destroyed by fires.
According to the Forest Service the firefighters brought the flames under control on Monday. Up to then the wild fires already destroyed a 49 000 hectare area. Thousands of people have been evacuated earlier.
Thick smoke enveloped many highways and led to the apparently accidental death of a five-year-old girl on Sunday on a highway near the town of Midland.
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