Deadly fires, tornado rage through US

Firefighters have battled deadly wildfires across Texas and Oklahoma while tornados turn houses into rubble across Tennessee and Arkansas. Three people were killed and 32 homes were destroyed on Friday in Texas as high winds fueled 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. 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. Oklahoma's governor declared a state of emergency in 31 counties on Friday after 49 people were injured and 100 homes were destroyed by the fires which flared up on Thursday. Elsewhere, 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 counties.