Firefighters Battle Wind Threat
Poor Weather Conditions Hinder Fight Against Fast-Moving Blazes
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Play CBS Video Video Wild Weather Around The U.S. From wildfires to twisters to heavy snow, many states are experiencing severe conditions that are causing major structural damage and heartache.
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Video Devastating Wildfires Lee Cowan reports on the grass fires in Texas and Oklahoma that have left communities in ruin and many people without homes.
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Video Wildfire 'Perfect Storm' Grass fires continue to burn in the Southwest, destroying dozens of homes and threatening many more. Beleaguered firefighters are overwhelmed. CBS News' Lee Cowan reports.
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Darrell McCoy walks through the remains of his home in Ringgold, Texas, Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, a day after a wildfire swept through the town. (CBS)
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Cameron Batson, 10, looks over his grandparents burned-out house near NE 63rd and Sooner Road in Oklahoma City on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006. (AP)
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Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, right, Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, center, and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, left, speak at a news conference near the burned home of Debra and Howard Lusk's at 6200 College Ave in Oklahoma City on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006. (AP)
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Leo Cramer, 11, photographs the front of the old grocery store in Ringgold, Texas, Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, a day after a wildfire swept through the town. (AP)
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An oil well pump is silhouetted against a grass fire in Guthrie, Okla., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006. (AP)
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Photo Essay Wildfires Flare High wind, drought drive wildfires across Oklahoma, Texas and NewMexico
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News Tools Disaster Links Looking for disaster-related information on the Web? Go to the CBS News Disaster Links web site put together by CBS News Producer and Technologist "Digital Dan" Dubno.
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Interactive Floods & Droughts Discover the destructiveness of floods and droughts, see this year's predictions and get tips on what to do.
The weather service issued a "red flag warning" for Texas on Tuesday because of the expected heat, low humidity and wind.
Computer models showed no rain soon, said Jesse Moore, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Fort Worth. He said the region's last appreciable rain was about a quarter-inch on Dec. 20. Oklahoma is more than a foot behind its normal rainfall of about 36 inches for this time of year.
"We're not out of danger yet," said Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry. "We can't let our guard down."
Since the rash of wildfires began in Texas, more than 200,000 acres of land has been charred, 250 homes destroyed and three people killed, the Texas Forest Service says.
Four fires in southeastern New Mexico had blackened more than 53,000 acres of grassland and burned 11 houses and two businesses near Hobbs.
The flames forced the evacuation of 200 to 300 people on the city's fringe, including about 170 from two Hobbs nursing homes. All but about 50 had returned home by midday Monday, authorities said.
Since Nov. 1, Oklahoma wildfires have covered more than 331,000 acres and destroyed 220 homes and businesses, said Albert Ashwood, Oklahoma's emergency management director. One person was killed.
With his grandparents' Oklahoma City home in smoldering ruins, 10-year-old Cameron Batson found something to be thankful for: He pointed out the basketball goal in the driveway that remained intact after the three-level brick home was turned into ashen rubble.
"We had some good times here," the boy said Monday, his voice cracking with emotion. "It was a pretty house."
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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