Texas fire destroys 7 homes, forces evacuations

[January 23, 2009]  HAWLEY, Texas (AP) -- Firefighters are battling a wildfire in western Texas that has destroyed seven homes and forced an unknown number of residents to evacuate.

Nick Harrison of the Texas Forest Service says the fire broke out Thursday near Abilene, about 175 miles west of Dallas. It grew to 2,000 acres and was only about 20 percent contained by late Thursday.

Harrison says crews used bulldozers to dig up the ground and cut down grass and brush that helped fuel the fire. The cause of the blaze is not known.

No injuries have been reported.

[Associated Press]

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