Wildfires ignite near San Antonio as powerful winds tear across Texas
At least 10 buildings were destroyed in the Duke Fire, which triggered a mandatory evacuation south of San Antonio on Tuesday afternoon.
Grass fire ignites south of San Antonio on Tuesday.
Video shot on Tuesday shows plumes of smoke billowing from a grass fire in Elmendorf, Texas. (Courtesy: Chris Valadez)
ELMENDORF, Texas – Several grass fires ignited in and around the city of San Antonio on Tuesday, as high winds and dry air coursed through Texas.
The Duke Fire triggered a mandatory evacuation after the wildfire broke out near Duke Road near the Highland Oaks area of Bexar County, 25 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time.
People were allowed to return to the area Tuesday night. However, at least 10 buildings were destroyed, according to the county government.
Meanwhile, the Calaveras Fire burned in the San Antonio suburb of Elmendorf. The wildfire burned along Interstate 37, sending large plumes of smoke into the air, just before 1:30 p.m.
Videos shot Tuesday showed how much smoke the grass fire emitted as it burned near homes. About 30 homes were evacuated, as powerful winds in the area posed a high risk of the fire spreading.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of at least 50 mph at the San Antonio International Airport.
Smoke from the grass fire. (Aj Castillo / Facebook / FOX Weather)
The agency noted that an extreme fire danger had been outlined for much of South-Central Texas on Tuesday. A Fire Weather Warning was in effect for the region until 9 p.m. local time.
Sustained westerly winds of 25-35 mph were forecast, with gusts of 45-60 mph.
"Any fires that develop today will rapidly increase in size and intensity, will move quickly, and be very difficult to impossible control," the NWS said on Tuesday.
This was happening as the same powerful winds kicked up enough dust to make the skies over Dallas look more like Mars.