Wildfire Destroys 100 Texas Homes as Residents Evacuate

At least 100 homes were destroyed and 700 residents were evacuated due to a wildfire in the Texas panhandle, authorities said.

The Hutchinson County grassfire has had plenty of fuel - from high winds to dry conditions, Fritch Police Chief Monte Leggett said.

"With the wind blowing the way it is, and the hot spots, the wind keeps switching from one direction to another so it's almost impossible [to fight]," Leggett said. "Plus, until daylight or they got a lot better visibility, it's gonna be tough."

Hutchinson County Emergency Management Coordinator Danny Richards said emergency crews from 26 counties are assisting. The fire is about 50 percent contained, he said, with a cold front giving firefighters optimism that the fire will be contained this morning.

Richards tells ABC News that the fire has possibly burned more than a thousand acres.

"It's a disaster, and many people have lost their homes," Richards said.