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A wildfire is burning in northwest Texas.
Editor's note: For the latest information on rapidly spreading wildfires, follow live updates here.
CNN
—
A massive, out-of-control fire is threatening a town in the Texas Panhandle, forcing residents to evacuate.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire, the region's largest wildfire, has exploded to 200,000 acres since it started Monday afternoon, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The fire, caused by strong winds and fueled by dry and unseasonably warm conditions, is progressing incredibly quickly and remains at 0% containment.
Evacuation orders were issued for parts of Hemphill and Roberts counties early Tuesday afternoon as the fire swept through populated areas. This includes the town of Canadian, Texas, about an hour and a half northeast of Amarillo, Texas.
Elsewhere in parts of Fritch, Texas, which straddles Moore and Hutchinson counties north of Amarillo, evacuations are in place for another fire, city officials and the Texas A&M Forest Service announced.
Moore County Emergency Management Coordinator Tommy Brooks told CNN that about 100 people could be affected by the evacuation order.
A strong cold front is expected to tear through the region Tuesday evening, causing a change in wind direction that could potentially spread the fires in new directions.
Red flag warnings were issued Tuesday for more than 11 million people in the south-central United States as spring-like warmth, strong winds and dry air create dangerous fire weather.
Texas and Oklahoma are at the epicenter of the most dangerous situation.
On Monday, multiple large wildfires broke out in the Texas Panhandle under similar dry, warm and windy conditions.
KFDA
A wildfire is seen burning in Leforce, Texas, on February 27, 2024.
at least 77,135 acres burned There were 13 wildfires burning in Texas on Monday, according to the Forest Service. Most of the damage was caused by four fires in the state's Panhandle: Smokehouse Creek Fire, Grape Vine Creek Fire, Windy Deuce Fire, and Juliet Pass Fire.
All four fires were still burning Tuesday, but three remained difficult to extinguish as firefighters struggled with unusual fire behavior caused by strong winds of 40 to 60 mph.
As of Tuesday afternoon, these fires are:
- Smokehouse Creek Fire: 100,000 acres burned (0% content)
- Grapevine Creek Fire: 30,000 acres burned (20% burned)
- Windy Deuce Fire: 8,000 acres burned (20% included)
The Juliet Pass Fire was 90% contained Tuesday afternoon after burning nearly 3,000 acres.
Fire weather conditions are expected to ease during the day Wednesday due to a cold front. Winds across the Texas Panhandle are expected to remain breezy for a while into early Wednesday morning, but gradually become calmer into Wednesday evening.
Temperatures will also drop in Texas, with highs on Tuesday moving from the 80s and 90s to highs in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
But with little rain expected over the weekend, firefighters won't have much help from Mother Nature.
CNN's Andy Rose contributed to this report.
