Central Texas wildfire forces evacuation of more than 400 homes

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Residents have been forced to evacuate more than 400 homes due to a wildfire in central Texas that has destroyed more than 40 structures and prompted Governor Greg Abbott to declare a state of disaster, officials said on Friday. With a large air tanker designed to fight wildfires and more resources on their way to Bastrop County, east of Austin, authorities said they hoped to bring under control the so-called Hidden Pines fire that has burned 4,582 acres and is only 25 percent contained. "This fire will be out, hopefully, in a few days, but this event will last a few years,” Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape told a news conference, referring to the lasting damage. Early reports indicate that a farming accident involving a shredder ignited the fire, which quickly spread because of high winds and dry conditions, Pape said. Additional firefighters were on their way to battle the blaze, located in the same pine forest area where a 2011 wildfire burned through some 34,000 acres. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas and Lisa Maria Garza in Dallas; Editing by Will Dunham)