Four Pasco County Fire Rescue crew members are back on regular shifts after spending more than two weeks fighting the 90,000-acre Ross Fire in North Texas.

Special Operations Capt. Bryan Spooner and three other personnel drove to Palo Pinto County to help contain what the Texas A&M Forest Service called the largest summertime wildfire in the state since records began in 2005, according to Spectrum News. The crew was originally scheduled for a two-week deployment, but the assignment was extended as they worked to contain two fires and protect nearby homes and businesses, Fox 13 reported.

Wildfire Ranks Among Largest in Region's History

The Ross Fire broke out Aug. 24 along U.S. Highway 180 and burned across Palo Pinto and Jack counties. As of Sept. 9, it had scorched more than 90,000 acres and was 57% contained, according to KERA News, citing the Texas A&M Forest Service. The fire's containment perimeter stretched beyond 130 miles, according to the Dallas Morning News. It ranks as the second-largest wildfire in North Texas recorded history, behind the Possum Kingdom Complex Fire that burned 126,734 acres in April 2011.

Blaze Destroyed More Than 150 Structures

The fire destroyed more than 157 structures, including 25 homes, according to the Fort Worth Report. The Dallas-Fort Worth region had gone more than 53 days without measurable rain as of Sept. 9.

Crew Endured Long Shifts, Dry Conditions

Conditions on the ground were punishing for the Pasco crew. The area had not seen rain since July 11. The firefighters were scheduled for 12-hour shifts but worked beyond those hours on all but three days. While battling the Ross Fire, the crew spotted a separate column of smoke that turned out to be the Bug Beach Fire, which they also helped contain.

Spooner said a nearby church provided meals throughout the deployment, offering "breakfast, lunch and dinner" to the crew.

Rain Cleared the Way for Crew's Return

Spooner told Fox 13 that rain moved into the area on a Friday, giving firefighters a chance to stand down and begin the trip home. The Pasco crew returned the following Monday and worked their first shift back on Tuesday.

Hernando County also sent firefighters to the Texas fires. That crew returned to Florida over the weekend before the Pasco team arrived home.

The Pasco crew is now back on its regular rotation at Pasco County Fire Rescue.