Wildfires in Texas Grow to One of Largest in the US State’s History
© AP Photo / David Erickson
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The blaze has become the second largest in Texas' history and is projected to grow as just 3% of its flames have been contained.
The US state of Texas suffered a devastating loss as a group of wildfires scorched the Texas Panhandle on Wednesday. The wildfire, which first ignited on Monday, has raged across 850,000 acres—larger than the US state of Rhode Island—becoming one of the largest fires ever seen in the state.
The fire, which moved quickly, consumed small towns and cattle ranches.
Man seeing what’s happening in the Texas Panhandle and seeing all these animals running for their lives is horrible.
— Rollin’ Raiders 🏴☠️ (@rollin_raiders) February 28, 2024
I hope everyone comes out safe from this 🤞🙏 pic.twitter.com/BzpcR7FRH2
The blaze is being referred to as the Smokehouse Creek Fire, and has covered more than 1,300 square miles (3,370 square kilometers) and traveled into parts of the US state of Oklahoma which it borders. Officials have encouraged those in Roger Mills County (western Oklahoma) to evacuate.
Fueled by strong winds, unseasonably high temperatures and dry conditions, the blaze is projected to grow as only 3% of the flames have been contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Wind conditions on Thursday are expected to be lighter, which could help firefighters battling the fire, though heavy winds and dry conditions are expected to return on Friday.
The blaze first spread around the cattle-filled town of Canadian which holds a population of 2,200 people northeast of Amarillio, close to the state line of Oklahoma.
Apocalyptic orange glow in the Texas Panhandle skies due to the Smokehouse Creek Fire- now the 2nd largest wildfire in Texas history, having burned over 850,000 acres so far. #txwx @SevereStudios pic.twitter.com/zsmgrR3Uw3
— Sierra Lindsey (@Sierra_Lindsey3) February 28, 2024
Evacuation efforts fell underway, but roughly 35 residents who tried to leave and found the roadways blocked by fire had to take shelter in a “safe room” at an emergency operations center, according to Lisa Johnson, a judge in Hemphill County who had to spend the night there.
More than 13,000 homes and businesses in Texas were without power as of Wednesday morning, and more than 4,000 of those in the Panhandle region alone, according to PowerOutage.us.
According to a spokesperson for the Forest Service, about 200 firefighters were on the ground, working across the Panhandle fighting several wildfires, though most were focused on the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
At least one death has been linked to the wildfires, though further details were not made available.
Join me in praying for the Texas Panhandle. Over 500,000 acres burned and still going. pic.twitter.com/CodFmJUGJv
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) February 28, 2024
A cattle rancher, whose family owns a 30,000 acre cattle ranch in Roberts County, said he had been fighting the fire for “two days straight”. He told a New York newspaper that nearly all of his land had burned, however, the buildings were saved. He added that some of his cattle survived the fire, but sadly, not all of them made it out alive.
“We lost some, and there are some that we’re having to shoot that are still alive but are burnt up,” he said. “We’re in love with the animals and the country, and whenever something like this comes through and destroys it all, it’s hard to swallow.”
Texas looks like armageddon as a wildfire, which ignited on Monday, has ravaged over 850,000 acres of land spanning Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, consuming land at a rate equivalent to two football fields per second. The blaze posed a grave threat to homes, farms, and… pic.twitter.com/0xR1w4ntS8
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) February 28, 2024
The wildfire was reportedly burning north of the Plantex plant, near Amarillo, that is responsible for disassembling nuclear weapons. On Tuesday, the plant suspended their operations but reopened on Wednesday. Despite no reports of fire being near the plant, safety officials responded anyway, according to a nuclear safety engineer for the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The largest wildfire in Texas history, prior to this week’s blaze, was the East Amarillo Complex fire in 2006 having burned about a million acres, which resulted in 13 deaths.
The Texas panhandle wildfires are out of control and have grown to become the state's second largest fire in history🔥🔥🔥
— Sir Chilliebean (@Chilliebeanz) February 28, 2024
pic.twitter.com/77UaA3XrQx
On Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX), issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties and directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate more than 95 firefighters and personnel to close roads, control traffic, offer medical aid, and help protect livestock. He also reportedly urged Texas residents to avoid any activities that may fuel the fire or start a new one.
