At least eight people were killed, dozens were injured and hundreds of homes and businesses were reduced to ash or rubble.

One of the fires appears to have been started deliberately, officials said.

"We haven't proved that there was malice but we do know that the fire was intentionally set," Jerry Lojka of the Midwest City, Oklahoma fire department told reporters.

The Oklahoman newspaper reported that teenagers were spotted in the area before the fire which destroyed 17 homes was sparked Thursday.

Oklahoma's governor declared a state of emergency in 31 counties where 62 people were injured and about 200 homes and business were destroyed by the fires and a tornado which touched down on the eastern edge of the state.

"Our firefighters and first responders have done an outstanding job in the face of daunting fires, and these brave men and women have our heartfelt gratitude. They are true heroes," Governor Brad Henry said.

"But there is much more to do, and the State of Oklahoma will do everything in its power to ensure help for those people who need it most."

Three people were killed and 32 homes destroyed in Texas as high winds fueled 49 major fires which burned 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) in the Lone Star state and filled the skies with thick clouds of smoke, the Texas Forest Service said.

Some 161 homes have been destroyed in drought-stricken Texas since January 1 as wildfires swallowed some 240,000 acres (97,000 hectares) and the governor of Texas issued an emergency declaration for 199 counties Friday.

A former television journalist and his wife were among the dead when their home was engulfed in flames Thursday, WFAA news in Dallas reported.

The fires devastated two small towns north of Dallas as high winds and bone dry conditions fueled the flames which raced across parched fields and swallowed homes, the station reported.

The town of Stoneburg in southwestern Montague County, was practically destroyed by fire, officials said.

In Wichita County, a blaze burn and forced the evacuation of 800 homes, including a nursing home, in the town of Electra, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Winds as strong as 112 kilometers (70 miles) per hour fanned the flames that engulfed 12 counties in the northern part of the state, as the governor's office activated Texas Military Forces to provide assistance, including two helicopters, in fighting the blazes, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

The winds eased in Texas on Friday, but firefighters continued to battle 20 major blazes.

A mother and her nine-week-old baby were killed and 35 people were hurt when a tornado tore through the town of Murfreesboro, Tennessee Friday, officials said.

"There was substantial damage," said Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans as he described the twisted path the tornado wove through town.

"We are in a search and rescue mode. We're going door to door, house to house looking for any potential people who are trapped in their homes."

Three people were killed and 23 were hurt after a tornado touched down in the town of Mena on Thursday evening, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said.

The storms damaged more than 150 homes and businesses in 11 Arkansas counties.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News