Grass fire torches 26 homes in drought-plagued suburban Dallas

A raging grass fire sparked by a landscaping crew spread quickly into the suburban Dallas neighborhood of Balch Springs, Texas, on Monday, July 25, leaving a trail of 26 scorched homes in its wake.

Shawn Davis, the fire marshal for Balch Springs, said that no injuries were reported, while those displaced by the blaze were offered refuge at the city's recreation center.

The Dallas area has been stuck in a dry stretch that is getting closer to historic levels every day. Rain has not fallen at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport for 53 straight days through Tuesday, the sixth-longest stretch on record.

The fire is believed to have started Monday afternoon when a grass-cutting crew in the city's Spring Ridge neighborhood struck a metal object, causing sparks and an eventual blaze off of Interstate 20. Balch Springs resides in Dallas County, approximately 15 miles outside of the city.

Around 3:30 p.m., CDT, the grass fire quickly spread and within minutes, at least five homes caught fire. Soon, an entire row of houses and backyards was engulfed in flames as dozens of firefighters from multiple units arrived on the scene, trying to contain the blaze in 100-degree heat as it swept further into the neighborhood. Officials said wind gusts of 15 to 20 mph further fanned the blaze.

Two hours later, Balch Springs City Manager Susan Cluse told reporters that nine of the 26 homes were deemed a total loss, with six more dealing with thick smoke, water and fire line damage.

Aerial footage showed the structures, lawns, and trees quickly succumbing to the flames. An after-action report filed by the Balch Springs Fire Department stated that the property losses totaled more than $6 million.

The blaze in Balch Springs was just one of several massive fires taking place Monday, with the Oak Fire raging in California and the same state battling a fire at a factory in Sutter Creek.

Firefighters put out hot spots on a home that was one of several that burned when they caught fire from a nearby grass fire in Balch Springs, Texas, Monday, July 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

In Texas, drought conditions and sweltering heat will continue to amplify the threat of fires in the Lone Star State. Dallas County has over 70 percent of its population in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and over 22 million Texans are challenged by the current dry spell.

Dallas hit the 104-degree mark Monday, with AccuWeather meteorologists forecasting that the area will receive no safety from triple-digit temperatures through at least Friday.

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