Firefighters battled Monday to contain several large blazes that have burned hundreds of square miles of rural Texas and destroyed dozens of homes since last week, getting reinforcements from out of state as they struggled against some of the worst wildfire conditions in state history.

Powerful winds that sent walls of flame through parched ranchland in and around several West Texas communities—incinerating more than 60 homes during the weekend and killing livestock and horses—took pity by directing the fires to largely unpopulated open spaces north and east of the cities.

Rain from last summer's Hurricane Alex led to particularly lush vegetation growth, said Mark Stanford, the operations director for the Texas Forest Service. A cold winter and the drought killed off much of that growth, and with fewer cattle grazing on Texas pasturelands, the dried remains have provided a perfect fuel for wildfires to consume, he said.

Photos below and on the following pages show the extent of damage to livestock, terrain, and property. Some images may be deemed disturbing.

Texas Wildfire April 2011

In this April 9, 2011, photo a heard of cattle run from a wildfire near Marfa, Texas. The fire danger remains high in West Texas where firefighters are battling a blaze that's destroyed dozens of homes in two communities. (AP Photo/bigbendnow.com, Alberto Tomas Halpern)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

In this April 10, 2011, photo, a cow caught in a wildfire lies in a field between Marfa and Fort Davis, Texas. Crews are trying to contain fires elsewhere in the state. (AP Photo/bigbendnow.com, Alberto Tomas Halpern)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

In this April 9, 2011 photo, a large plume of smoke is seen where the fire began two miles west of Marfa, Texas. The fire danger remains high in West Texas. (AP Photo/bigbendnow.com, Alberto Tomas Halpern)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

A home and vehicles destroyed by wildfire are shown in Fort Davis, Texas, Sunday, April 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Billy Marginot)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

An uncontrolled wildfire burns at the Jeff Davis and Presidio County line near Fort Davis, Texas, Sunday, April 10, 2011. A fast-moving wildfire had spread to more than 60,000 acres in Presidio County and Jeff Davis County, where it destroyed about 20 homes in Fort Davis. (AP Photo/Billy Marginot)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

A home destroyed by fire is shown, and an uncontrolled wildfire burns in the background in Fort Davis, Texas, Sunday, April 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Billy Marginot)

Texas Wildfire April 2011

In this April 11, 2011 photo, Isaiah Martinez stands in the rubble of his great-great-grandparents' home in Fort Davis, Texas. Powerful winds that sent walls of flame through parched ranchland in and around the West Texas communities of Fort Davis and Midland, incinerating more than 60 homes during the weekend and killing livestock and horses, took pity by directing the fires to largely unpopulated open spaces north and east of the cities. (AP Photo/bigbendnow.com, Alberto Tomas Halpern)

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