The Mesquite Heat Fire, near Abilene, among nine wildfires the Texas A&M Forest Service was battling in the state, was 5 percent contained on Thursday and had destroyed about 30 structures, the agency said.
Texas A&M Forest Service has responded to nine fires across the state this week, saying they “have the potential to exhaust state and local resources.”
Fires in the drought-stricken Southwest, including New Mexico and Texas, continued to spread on Thursday, fanned by windy weather. Winds gusting up to 50 mph were expected to complicate firefighting efforts on Friday.