‘Monster’ Fire Rages in Texas

Though officials declared a massive Texas wildfire 50 percent contained last Thursday, high winds from Tropical Storm Lee further stoked the blaze over the weekend. On Monday afternoon, a spokesman from the Texas Forest Service confirmed the "monster" fire was 16 miles long and zero percent contained. Roughly 17,500 acres — including almost half of Bastrop State Park — and nearly 500 homes have burned down. The fire roared through central and eastern Texas on Sunday, killing a 20-year-old woman and her young daughter in their trailer home. Officials have issued an emergency warning for the entire state, and Gov. Rick Perry has paused his 2012 campaign to return to the state.