Huge blaze rips down at least 9 homes in apocalyptic scene started by grass fire

At least nine home have been destroyed as a massive grass fire rips into a neighbourhood in Texas.

The fire service in Balch Springs said that the infierno began when workers mowing a field hit debris with a blade causing a spark - which was all that was needed in the extremely dry terrain.

People have been evacuated as the fire quickly spread to an adjacent neighbourhood where it burned down fences and then homes along Broadview Drive.

Images from the scene show long hoses being used to douse the flames with some fire fighters looking exhausted as they work in the high temperatures.

Balch Springs Fire Marshall Shawn Davis told reporters that there may be as many as 20 homes that have been damaged. He estimated that it took just around 15 minutes for the fire to start and then rip through homes while there are now up to seven regional fire crews that are working on putting it out.

At least nine homes have been destroyed by the fire (Fox 4)

He confirmed that nine homes have been totally destroyed in the fire while everyone in the damaged homes have been evacuated.

"At the moment we have an emergency centre set up … so they (residents) can go there and I have despatched the Red Cross to meet them, they will assist them with getting temporary shelter, like a hotel or some place to stay," Marshall Davis told reporters.

An emergency centre has been set up for people who have been forced to leave their homes (Fox 4)

"(They will) provide them with food and clothing vouchers and things like that to help them in the transition to getting everything fixed. Red Cross also will help them with insurance claims and everything like that they will need to do."

He continued: "I have 14 (homes) that are confirmed (damaged) and I am anticipating up to 20 with some kind of damage."

The fire ripped through wooden fences to get through to the houses (Fox 4)

A resident said that the fire started around 4pm and that shortly afterwards the fire brigade began. She and other families are now watering their gardens in the hope that the fire won't spread to their homes.

It comes as firefighters have been tackling major fires in California in recent days and said on Monday that they have started to bring it under control - halting its eastward expansion toward nearby Yosemite National Park while thousands of people remained under evacuation orders.