Over 200 acres burned in Parker County grass fire; no homes damaged, officials say

Crews are battling a grass fire that sparked in Parker County on Tuesday afternoon. 

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the Red Bank Fire started at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday. It is currently 207 acres and 80% contained as of Wednesday night. 

Houses, vehicles and other structures were seen near the fire from the CBS News Texas chopper.

Texas A&M Forest Service said it had help from small airplanes that dumped fire retardant, thankfully sparing those homes and animals. The fire has only burned brush so far.

Property owner Barry Phennig told CBS News Texas that it's been a really tough summer for residents in the area. He said the wind felt like it was going to blow the fire toward his home. 

"Something stopped it. It could have very easily gone around this way and kept going, and they would have had a handle on it. So if you want to say that, yeah, for sure, God was looking down on it. So yeah, it's the way it is," he said. 

Phennig said fires like these have been a daily fear for people in this area, given how dry North Texas has been.  

As firefighters continued to battle hotspots, "fire tornadoes" were also seen forming along the fire. 

What is a "fire tornado?"

A fire tornado is not like a regular tornado. 

Tornadoes are attached to a cloud; a fire tornado is not. 

It forms from the intense heat rising from the fire. The winds stretch and tighten the rotation, so it does start to spin. The fire creates its own rotating updraft, so it does not have to be related to a cloud, and it can carry flames and embers downwind. Fire tornadoes can make the fire spread even faster. 

This is a developing story. CBS News Texas will provide updates as they become available.