Texas Fires Kill 4, Destroy More Than 1,600 Homes

One of the most devastating wildfire outbreaks in Texas history has left more than 1,600 homes in ruins and stretched the state’s firefighting ranks to the limit, confronting Gov. Rick Perry with a major disaster at home just as the GOP presidential contest heats up. More than 180 fires have erupted recently across the rain-starved Lone Star State. The Texas Forest Service has confirmed that the number of homes destroyed by the Bastrop County Complex fire stands at 1,386. Approximately 240 additional homes have been reported lost in other fires since Sept. 4, for a total of approximately 1,626, the TFS reported.