Local and state fire crews on Sunday continued to battle at least two major wildfires that had consumed more than 30,000 acres after sparking in strong winds and a dust storm Friday in the Texas Panhandle.

Strong winds and dry conditions are fueling wildfires and increasing threats across Texas. Climate researchers have said the ingredients are in place for a wildfire threat North Texas hasn't seen in at least 10 years.

A blaze in Roberts County, Texas, northeast of Amarillo, quickly blew up from less than a square mile to an estimated 14.8 square miles, the Texas

The number of fatalities increased after the Kansas Highway Patrol reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm.