A wildfire that exploded in size in a matter of hours ripped through wide swaths of ranchland in rural Texas, burning structures at a youth camp while forcing evacuations and closing schools Tuesday.
The fire, which began early Monday afternoon, charred more than 78 square miles (200 square kilometers) in less than a day across lightly populated areas in two counties in north central Texas. Fueled by whipping winds along with extremely hot and dry conditions, the Ross Fire jumped creeks and rivers, residents said.
