Blown tire sparked the 90,000-acre Ross Fire in North Texas - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Investigators determined the fire ignited on August 24 when a vehicle's blown tire sent metal scraping across pavement, creating sparks, or when hot debris landed on dry grass nearby. Eleven days later, the blaze has consumed at least 90,048 acres and is only 38 percent contained.

The destruction has been severe. The fire has leveled 157 structures, and thousands of acres of ranch land, homes, and property across two counties remain at risk while crews work to push containment higher. For people in the region, fires like this one are a constant reminder of how fast conditions can turn when drought-dry grass meets a single spark.

Something as ordinary as a tire blowout can trigger one of the largest wildfires a region has seen in years, and that detail will stick with anyone who drives Texas roads in summer.