Texas wildfires
A wildfire burned near Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas last week. Tropical Storm Lee didn't bring any rain to the drought-stricken state, but its winds spread more than 60 fires. Reuters

A Texas wildfire raging through Bastrop County, about 25 miles east of Austin, has set an unwelcome record for the most homes destroyed by a blaze in the state's history.

The fire had engulfed 476 homes in Central Texas Monday night, fanned by powerful winds from Tropical Storm Lee. A scorching drought has also allowed it to be build strength, continuing one of the most punishing summers in years.

Texas has endured 34 percent of the wildfires to occur in the U.S. so far in 2011, seeing 3.5 million acres consumed and losing more than 45,000 homes and structures since Nov. 15, 2010, according to the database InciWeb.

Firefighters should have an easier time containing the wildfire on Tuesday because the winds have died down somewhat, a Texas Forest Service spokesman told The Associated Press. The winds, which have reached 30 mph in recent days, aren't expected to top 10 mph on Tuesday.

Storm Earth Storm