Texas wildfire mushrooms within hours, ripping through ranchlands

A wildfire that exploded in size in a matter of hours ripped through wide swaths of ranchland in rural Texas, burning structures at a youth camp while forcing evacuations and closing schools Tuesday.The fire, which began early Monday afternoon, charred more than 78 square miles (200 square kilometers) in less than a day across lightly populated areas in two counties in north central Texas. Fueled by whipping winds along with extremely hot and dry conditions, the Ross Fire jumped creeks and rivers, residents said."It just took off way too fast," said Katie Rochelle, whose fifth-generation family canoe rental business lost its office and repair shop outside Graford.

"The wind was going in a tornado motion."Also Read: Hawk Fire near Reno forces 42,000 to evacuate as wildfire rapidly spreads in US' NevadaHer husband, a local firefighter, helped save their home overnight, but she was worried it could go up in flames anytime."I don't know how our house survived," she said. "Now we're waiting and praying.

First reported by The Times of India.