Evacuations ordered as wind-whipped Ross Fire in Texas grows to 80,000 acres

Key Points:

• The Ross Fire near Fort Worth, Texas, rapidly expanded overnight from 50,000 to 80,000 acres, prompting evacuations and road closures in two counties; containment increased from 5% to 12% as it spread into Jack County.
• The cause of the Ross Fire, which began Monday afternoon near Palo Pinto, remains under investigation, with firefighters prioritizing life safety and structure protection while establishing containment lines.
• In Northern Nevada, the Hawk Fire near Reno has burned over 15,000 acres, destroyed at least 47 homes, and injured seven people; containment rose sharply from 27% to 85%, reducing evacuations from 42,000 to about 5,000.
• Washington state is battling 15 large wildfires consuming 800,000 acres, with the Little Giant and Sinlahekin Fires being the largest; these fires are in remote areas and not threatening homes but contribute to the state's third-worst fire season since 2015.
• Earlier fires in Spokane, Washington, caused $1 billion in damage and destroyed more than 800 homes, highlighting the severity of this year's wildfire season in the region.