Five major wildfires in the Texas Panhandle have consumed more than 570,000 acres, prompting evacuations, road closures and emergency declarations.
The largest fire burning is the Smokehouse Creek Fire north of Stinnett, with 0% containment . On Wednesday, the fire exploded in size, growing from 300,000 acres to 500,000, making it the second-largest wildfire in Texas history.
Thankfully, the weather is set to improve Wednesday, with strong winds that had been impacting the fires expected to diminish to 15-25 mph, aiding in firefighting efforts.
Parts of this region will see snow potentially falling on the fires Thursday as a weak low-pressure system moves into the Texas Panhandle from New Mexico, the FOX Forecast Center said. Accumulations will be very light, generally under 1 inch.
However, as quickly as the weather shifts to help the firefight, it will shift back to potentially hamper it. Temperatures on Friday will warm back into the 70s with 30-plus-mph winds and relative humidity below 20%. These conditions are expected to persist through the weekend.
15 #FWFD firefighters have deployed to the #SmokehouseCreekFire in Hutchinson County (in the Texas Panhandle). Currently, there are 500,000 acres burning with 0% containment.
— Fort Worth Fire Department (@FortWorthFire) February 28, 2024
8 firefighters deployed with (TIFMAS), 5 deployed with TXTF 1 & 2 deployed with TXTF 2. [1/3] pic.twitter.com/kDNjqHOk7y
On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 Texas counties because of the rapidly spreading wildfires in the Lone Star State. The declaration allows additional state resources to support local firefighters.
Firefighters were working to protect people and structures as the fire rapidly spread toward the town of Canadian, Texas, in Hemphill County. The wildfire burned through an automated weather structure known as a Mesonet station Tuesday afternoon. According to the West Texas Mesonet, which operates the station, a temperature as high as 126 degrees was recorded at the site before it was destroyed.
Gusty winds between 40 and 50 mph pushed the fire north of Pampa, Texas, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.
Operations at a nuclear weapons facility outside of Amarillo were halted after flames got dangerously close to the property. Late Tuesday, Pantex said all the facility's employees were accounted for, and firefighters were in structure protection mode, but the property remains secure.
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