Thursday, September 1, 2011

Firefighters battling a 6,200 acre blaze in North Texas are finding some hope in weekend forecasts.

Prolonged heat and drought have left vegetation in the Possum Kingdom Lake parched, providing plenty of fuel for this latest wildfire.

The blaze has been propelled by high winds, but yesterday those winds pushed it onto flatter ground. Officials say the easier terrain and cooler weather expected this weekend should help firefighters as they try to contain the blaze.

Since the fire began Tuesday, it has destroyed at least 39 homes in the Possum Kingdom Lake area west of Fort Worth. It's currently threatening another 160 homes.

The Texas wildfire season usually begins in mid-November, but eases in the spring because of rain, greener vegetation and higher humidity. This year, however, firefighters haven't had much of a break. Fires have scorched nearly 5,500 square miles of the state, including a destructive April blaze that destroyed 160 homes in Possum Kingdom Lake.