The Ross Fire has torn through 125 square miles of rural Texas in a little over a day, as powerful winds and bone-dry conditions turned the landscape into a tinderbox.

The fire, burning about an hour outside of Fort Worth, moved so quickly it jumped creeks and rivers and destroyed at least five structures. As of Wednesday morning, the inferno is 12% contained.

Schools closed, middle-of-the-night evacuations were ordered and emergency officials warned the blaze could continue growing as temperatures climb this week.

What to expect

The Fort Worth area is already facing triple-digit heat and low humidity with winds of up to 25 mph (and even stronger gusts).

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That combination is a recipe for rapid fire growth, as winds can push flames across firebreaks and carry embers ahead of the main fire.

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And there’s little relief in sight. Wednesday is likely to bring more of the same weather, with high temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.

Fire Chief Danny Watkins told the Associated Press that crews have “thrown everything” they have at the fire, but are still seeing little effect.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced that FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Ross Fire.

(MORE: Wildfire safety 101: What you need to know)

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Texas isn’t alone

Wildfires have been popping up across the South and West for months as extremely dry conditions persist.

The National Interagency Fire Center says more than 50,000 wildfires have already burned across the U.S. this year, the most at this point in the year over the past decade.