Recent wildfires in Texas are expected to cause nearly $250million in insured losses, and losses as of now have alreadysurpassed total-insured wildfire losses in the state from any prioryear, according to the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT).

The Texas Forest Service, in its latest update Sept. 22, says itresponded to 10 new fires on Sept. 21 for 3,264 acres, includingnew large fires in Foard, Hardeman, and Cottle counties. In theseven days prior, the Texas Forest Service says it has responded to65 fires for 5,038 acres.

Following are September photos of the fires, the damage theyhave caused, and the efforts of officials to combat the blazes.

A wildfire near Smithville, Texas on Sept. 5 burning piles oflumber and ranch posts. By this time, the fire had destroyed nearly500 homes as it was fanned by winds from Tropical Storm Lee.

According to Highline Data, a Summit Business Media Company, thetop writers of homeowners’ multi-peril in Texas in 2010 are StateFarm Group with a market share of 28.9 percent; Allstate InsuranceGroup (12.5 percent); Zurich Insurance Group (12.4 percent); USAAGroup (7.7 percent); and Liberty Mutual (5.2 percent).

(Credit: AP Photo/Erich Schlegel)

In this Sept. 5 AP file photo, firefighters battle a wildfirenear Smithville, Texas.

According to the Texas Forest Service, since wildfire seasonbegan on Nov. 15, 2010, firefighters have responded in East Texasto 2,151 wildfires that charred 207,763 acres.

(Credit: AP Photo/Erich Schlegel, File)

Stairs from a home destroyed by wildfires.

ICT spokesman Mark Hanna says, “Lots of money from insurers hasalready exchanged hands for living expenses. Many homeowners had nohome to go back to. They are with friends and family or at motelsand trailers. Every major insurer is there.”

(Credit: AP Photo/Waco Tribune-Herald, Duane A. Laverty)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry studies a map of wildfire-affected BastropCounty with other officials on Sept. 5.

The Associated Press reports that Texas' forest service came upwith a $20.4 million plan to stop wildfire flames from starting ortamp them out before small blazes grew destructive, but three yearslater, the plan is still only half-funded.

(Credit: AP Photo/Alberto MartÌnez, Pool)

An image provided by NASA shows the Texas wildfires as seen onSept. 6 from the International Space Station. The photo was takenby astronaut Ron Garan.

In addition to homeowners losses, Texas AgriLife notes thatagricultural losses due to wildfires have piled up. About 185structures, more than 1,100 cattle, 5,475 miles of fence and 2.6million acres of pastures have been lost.

(Credit: AP Photo/NASA)

Smoke from the Bastrop wildfire on Sept. 6.

ICT spokesman Hanna says the Bastrop fire alone has caused atleast $150 million in insured losses so far, eclipsing the previousrecord of $115 million in 2009 for wildfire losses in all of Texasfor the entire year.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A homeowner observes his fire-destroyed home on Sept. 6.

ICT spokesman Hanna says fires this year, aided by dryvegetation from an extreme drought across Texas, have affectedpopulated areas on the edges of cities, whereas in years past theyhave typically been in rural, less-populated areas.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A Sept. 7 photo of homes in Bastrop County destroyed bywildfires.

The Bastrop fire and the Union Chapel Fire have consumed 1,554homes and killed two civilians, according to the Texas ForestService.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A helicopter drops water on a fire in Chapel Hill, Texas nearTyler, Texas on Sept. 8. The fire threatened oil wells and oilstorage tanks.

(Credit: AP Photo Scott M. Lieberman)

Firefighters from many areas combined forces to combat thewildfires. Here, a firefighter from the Lassen National Forest teamin Calif. cleans up a hot spot from the Bastrop, Texas fire onSept. 10.

As of Sept. 22, the Bastrop County fire has consumed 34,068acres and is 95 percent contained, according to the Texas ForestService. The ICT says that as of Sept. 21, nearly all homeownersaffected by the fires have been contacted by their insurers and arein the recovery process.

(Credit: AP Photo/Eric Schlegel - POOL)