10:27 PM CST on Tuesday, January 3, 2006

By Jeremy Desel / 11 News

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Wildfires are still burning across Texas as the fire danger from dry weather grows worse.

The numbers clearly prove it, with 200,000 acres charred and 115 homes destroyed just since Sunday.

One of the hot spots Tuesday night is in Eastland, where flames have raced across 35,000 acres, about 125 miles west of Dallas.

A number of structures have burned down in Eastland County, including barns. Peanut crops have also been destroyed.

KHOU-TV

Wanda Deshazo and others helped stop a fire before it burned any homes.

So far, three people have died

Tuesday, Gov. Perry asked the federal government for more money to help people rebuild.

Much closer to home Air 11 was over a wildfire near Little York and Mesa in northeast Houston.

Firefighters managed to get a handle on it before it affected any homes or other buildings.

Another fire was also too close for comfort for residents in Indigo Lake Estates near Magnolia.

In seconds, sparks turn to wildfire.

"I got a phone call from work saying 'Come home, everything is on fire', so here we are, " said Wanda Deshazo.

Deshazo and more than 20 Magnolia Volunteer Firefighters were able to stop the fire at 35 acres. They stopped it before any homes were damaged.

"It's very scary. I'm thinking of my house, my children, everyone around us. It's very scary," Deshazo said.

It's not just North Texas and Oklahoma that are burning.

"The entire state is basically a tinderbox," said Chris Berg, District Chief, Magnolia Fire.

The problem is with new development, homes and wild lands are mixing more often and the forest is in the back yard.

There are simple things you can do to protect your home before fire comes:
- First clean roof surfaces and gutters. Make sure that all pine needles, leaves and branches are cleared out and disposed of safely. Anything that's fallen from the trees is simply tinder now.

- Create a firebreak around all structures, including home and fences. Clear between 1 foot and 18 inches around the house and fences.

"Try to keep everything basically as far away from your house as possible. I know a lot of people like to have the woods up close but from a safety standpoint if you can clear everything back it helps us," said Chief Berg.

- Also make sure that all combustibles are kept away from structures such as picnic tables, firewood and any other debris. That helps creates a defensible space for firefighters.
- Check your trees and trim branches away from chimneys and remove branches below 15 feet.

Stay prepared.

- Keep your garden hose connected to an outlet and make sure that it works, because the alternative is tough

"There is nothing you can do. Just sitting here and watching hoping someone gets back here to help," said Deshazo.

This time, they did get back.

"When we pulled up, we had approximately five acres and it got out of control in a hurry," said Chief Berg.