06:25 PM CST on Monday, January 2, 2006

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV

WFAA-TV

Wildfires burned in a number of North Texas communities on Sunday.

RINGGOLD, Texas — It was a frustrating and fiery start to the New Year, as destructive wildfires burned more than 30,000 acres in Texas, fueled by bone-dry vegetation, gusty winds and extremely low humidity.

In Montague County, near the Oklahoma border, the entire town of Ringgold was consumed by flames overnight in a fire that started Sunday afternoon in neighboring Clay County.

Powerful westerly winds drove the fire almost 20 miles to Ringgold—population 100. The tiny community didn't stand much of a chance.

Ringgold resident Carol Ezzell described the wall of flames this way: "They were tall and fast and they were just twirling."

The Texas Forest Service said those flames destroyed 32 homes in Ringgold and damaged seven others. The town also lost its grocery store and post office.

The monstrous fire then took aim at Nocona, about 90 miles northwest of Dallas. Officials ordered an evacuation of the entire town of 3,200 Sunday night as a precaution.

Officials said some 200 homes in the Nocona Hills subdivision were immediately at risk as the fire raced out of control.

No deaths were reported, but two firefighters and two civilians were injured.

Patients at Nocona Community Hospital were transported to a hospital in Gainesville, and a shelter for Nocona residents was set up at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Muenster.

"It was scary; it's still scary," said Nocona evacuee Joyce Blevins. "I've never been in nothing like this."

The fire, however, missed Nocona and jogged north of town, where firefighters stalled its advance. But there was renewed concern Monday morning about a shift in the winds.

"The winds aren't supposed to be as strong," said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Traci Weaver, "but they're supposed to be blowing more out of the north rather than the west, which is what we've had all day today (Sunday), which means it's going to push the fire in a different direction, so we're concerned about the southern flank of the fire."

The forest service planned to send in aircraft and helicopters to drop water and flame retardant on the fire Monday morning in an attempt to check its advance.

Another major fire continued to burn in Eastland County, about 125 miles west of Dallas, on Monday morning. The fire destroyed the tiny community of Kokomo and burned at least 35 homes. Residents of Carbon, Gorman and Desdemona were evacuated.

In the Texas Panhandle, a 6,700 acre fire in Donley County was threatening about 70 homes.

A pall of smoke hung over the entire region Sunday night—some of it so thick it was clearly visible on weather radar systems.

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Another fire destroyed at least six homes in Mineral Wells.

Another destructive fire raged 40 miles west of Fort Worth in Mineral Wells. At least six homes were in flames along with a number of other sheds and other structures.

Officials said the fire—which at one point stretched for five miles—may have been started by an electrical spark. It consumed an estimated 1,800 acres of land in Parker County.

The Texas Forest Service had been using aerial tankers to help control the spread of that fire, but the aircraft were grounded at dusk Sunday for safety reasons.

"Our strategy for tonight is to try and cool off any hot spots," said emergency management coordinator Berry Bateman.

Firefighters worked through the night to keep the fire under control.

The American Red Cross had units at the scene to help families displaced by the Mineral Wells fire.

Fires in the Tarrant County community of Benbrook were reported under control Sunday night, but emergency workers continued their vigil for hot spots and flareups.

Two fires were reported about 2:30 p.m., stretching across 500 acres on unoccupied private property. The first fire started near Benbrook Lake off Lakeview Drive and moved quickly.

Five different agencies worked to bring the flames under control without damage to structures or vehicles.

In White Settlement, flames threatened a complex of apartments and nearby homes. Fire marshals said a transformer might have sparked the blaze, which quickly traveled up a hill toward the residential area.

Fire officials said residents did not need to worry about the fire reigniting anywhere, because it already burned all the fuel it had access to.

More fires raged in and around Cross Plains on Sunday, stretching thin volunteer firefighters yet again.

That town, in Callahan, Texas, is still recovering from devastating fires last Tuesday that destroyed dozens of homes, killing two residents.

Only the sanctuary walls remain at the town's First United Methodist Church, so worshipers moved Sunday services into the parking lot.

WFAA-TV reporters Bert Lozano in Palo Pinto, John Pronk in Cross Plains, Yolanda Walker in Benbrook and Carol Cavazos in White Settlement and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com