Video shows a massive column of smoke rising from the Mesquite Heat Fire in central Texas Wednesday, as ash falls on a neighborhood miles away.
The Mesquite Heat Fire started on May 17 about 20 miles southwest of Abilene, Texas, along Highway 277. The fire, fueled by mesquite and juniper brush, jumped the highway when the wind shifted, and quickly spread east.
As of early Thursday morning, the fire was 5,000 acres with 5 percent of the perimeter contained, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.
Complicating firefighting efforts, the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for the area Thursday, with afternoon temperatures forecast from 105 to 110 degrees, along with wind gusts.
