Arrest made in connection with Texas wildfire



(CNN) -- Texas authorities have made an arrest in connection with one of hundreds of blazes scorching the state in what a forest service official called the "perfect storm for wildfires."

A man has been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, which is a felony under Texas law, Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said early Monday. The man, who authorities have not yet identified, is being held under a $50,000 bond.

According to Buck, the man started a campfire at a homeless camp in a remote area, which got out of control and prompted evacuations. The fire has burned about 60 acres and raised concerns as it crept near 100 homes, 10 businesses and Austin Community College.

Firefighters are battling some of the driest conditions Texas has seen in nearly a century.

April Saginor, a spokeswoman with the Texas Forest Service, said crews were having difficulty getting hundreds of blazes under control due to a rare combination of strong winds, unseasonably warm temperatures and low humidity. Conditions this spring are the driest they've been in Texas since 1917, she said.

Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires across more than 1.5 million acres since this year's wildfire season began, Gov. Rick Perry wrote in a letter late Saturday to President Barack Obama. Perry requested that the federal government declare Texas a disaster area. Fires have affected all but two of the state's 254 counties.

On Sunday, some 1,300 personnel representing 34 states were on the front lines battling these fires. Barring a drastic and sustained change in conditions, Saginor said she expects the fight to continue for several months more.

"We're looking at this as a marathon, not a sprint," she said. "We're very committed to this."

To that end, Perry's request to federal authorities -- which he made late Saturday and announced Sunday -- was an attempt to expedite federal assistance.

"I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments, and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary," the governor wrote in his letter to Obama.

Saginor noted that rural areas and more populated areas like Austin have been affected -- though she added that there have been no civilian casualties.

Perry noted that one firefighter has died and 18 others have been injured, while 244 homes have been destroyed and another 8,514 threatened residences "saved."

New and evolving wildfires prompted three sets of evacuations Sunday, all while crews tried to prevent further damage across the state.

Numerous resources -- including three helitankers (helicopters that dump water), two Blackhawk helicopters and three 20-man crews -- have been brought in, Saginor said.

Weather predictions don't appear to help firefighters' efforts. The forecast in Palo Pinto County, for instance, calls for high temperatures in the mid-90s through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. In Austin, temperatures are expected to hit or surpass 90 degrees all week.

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