By Gary Borders

An Eastland County sheriff’s deputy died Thursday as wildfires swept through several small Texas communities west of Dallas, destroying at least 50 homes and charring more than 54,000 acres as of Sunday.

Deputy Sgt. Barbara Fenley died while going door to door warning people to flee, according to the Austin American-Statesman. 

Sgt. Fenley ran off a smoke-covered road and was engulfed in the fire, the sheriff said.

Several wildfires merged to form what is now known as the Eas...