Wildfire grows into 2nd-largest in Texas history as flames menace multiple small towns [Video]

A fast-moving wildfire burning through the Texas Panhandle grew into the second-largest blaze in state history Wednesday, forcing evacuations and triggering power outages as firefighters struggled to contain the widening flames.The sprawling blaze was part of a cluster of fires that burned out of control and threatened rural towns, where local officials shut down roads and urged residents to leave their homes. The largest of the fires — which expanded to nearly 800 square miles — jumped into parts of neighboring Oklahoma and was completely uncontained as dawn broke, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.Authorities had not reported any deaths or injuries as of Wednesday morning as huge plumes of smoke billowed hundreds of feet above the blackened landscape. But early assessments indicated that property damage could be extensive.Hemphill County Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Kendall described the charred terrain as being “like a moonscape. … It’s just all gone.”Kendall …