Wildfires that have scorched nearly 1 million acres of the bone-dry Texas Panhandle spread even more, fanned by strong wind gusts that reached as high as 52 mph.

Firefighters weary from three days of battling blazes that have ravaged 840,000 acres and killed 11 people in the US state of Texas, braced for the threat of strong winds to return.

Raging wildfires scorched more than 663,000 acres across Texas yesterday and were blamed for six deaths, including two victims who were trying to escape from their burning home.