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The worst inferno in Texas history raged on Sunday, fueled by winds and high temperatures that threatened to incinerate more buildings, livestock and livelihoods across the Texas Panhandle, leaving residents without homes. sifting through the ashes of abandoned buildings.
The National Weather Service reported that severe fire weather conditions continued in the area Sunday, with wind gusts of 59 mph at one point near the town of Texline. A red flag warning is in effect for the Panhandle, according to the National Weather Service. “Conditions will continue to be favorable for rapid fire growth and spread,” the agency said in its forecast.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which has been burning for nearly a week and has burned more than 1 million acres in Texas alone, making it the state's largest fire in history, is only 15% contained. The blaze is just one of five major blazes that have scorched the Texas Panhandle, already killing two people and destroying more than 500 buildings, state officials announced Saturday. More than 190 miles of power lines have been destroyed, leaving some areas without power.
A new fire, the 50-acre Roughneck Fire, prompted authorities to call for evacuations in the Hutchinson County town of Sanford on Sunday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
“The fire continues to advance as it approaches the town. Evacuation efforts continue,” the National Weather Service office in Amarillo said. Posted in X.
Blue Team Operations Section Chief Mike Broad said in a video update posted to Facebook Sunday morning that fire activity on the Smokehouse Fire, Windy Deuce Fire and Grapevine Creek Fire increased Saturday.
The Texas Panhandle has had more rain than usual this winter, which means there's more grass, or fuel, to burn. Texas A&M Forest Service spokesman Jason Nedro said crews expect to inch closer to containment after the weekend.
High temperatures in the region are expected to be in the low 70s through Sunday, but will drop slightly to the low 60s on Monday, well above average.
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Firefighters investigate hot spots after the Smokehouse Creek Fire broke out in Miami, Texas, on Saturday.
• Authorities are working to identify hotspots. Broad said fire officials utilized aviation assets to respond to the fire outbreak over the weekend, including conducting thermal imaging flights to pinpoint additional hot spots.
• Four more fires are burning: The Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County has burned 144,000 acres and is 55% contained as of Sunday evening, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The Grapevine Creek Fire in Gray County has spread to approximately 35,000 acres and is 60% contained. The Magenta Fire in Oldham County has burned 3,297 acres and is 85% contained. And the 687 Reamer Fire in Hutchinson County has burned 2,000 acres and is 10% contained.
• Two deaths were reported. Truck driver Cindy Owen was caught up in the Smokehouse Creek Fire on Tuesday while on duty about 80 miles north of Pampa, Texas, her sister-in-law told CNN. Jennifer Mitchell, the wife of Owen's brother, said she tried to get out of the truck and run away to ensure her safety, but she died in the fire. In nearby Hutchinson County, 83-year-old Joyce Blankenship was killed, her family said. “The house is gone,” said her grandson, Nathan Blankenship. “There was no way for her to get out.”
• Fires hit state's cattle industry: Fires are ravaging the Panhandle, home to 85% of the state's livestock industry. The fire has already killed thousands of cattle, as well as other livestock, crops and equipment.
• Oklahoma successfully extinguishes smokehouse fires: “The Smokehouse Creek Fire appears to have good boundaries and will be turned over to local departments tomorrow,” Oklahoma Forest Service spokesman Keith Mercks said Sunday. “The fire will be 75% contained by the end of today's shift.” More than 31,000 acres have burned in Oklahoma, near the Texas border, the agency said.
• How you can help: GoFundMe has launched a verified fundraising platform to benefit those affected by the Texas wildfires. The website is raising money for Texans who have lost their homes, belongings and livestock. Hemphill County, where 400,000 acres were burned and a truck driver died, is accepting monetary donations as well as wildlife relief supplies, according to the county's AgriLife Extension Facebook page. It is said that there is. In the City of Fritch, CCS Connect Community Services is accepting monetary donations from residents.
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This fire is the largest in state history.
All that remained of Susan and Lonnie Johnson's five-bedroom ranch near Fritch were the ashes of their home of 20 years.. A dining table, fine white china, a blue and red Dutch oven, chairs, and a smoker were visible against a desolate background of dust, debris, and fallen trees.
On Tuesday, their house was engulfed in flames and they desperately tried to save it, only to see the entire house go up in flames.
“You don't want to believe your house is going to burn,” Ronnie told CNN.
“Others have seen it, so we’ll rebuild and start over.”
Susan described losing her home as “numb” but said it would not mean losing her memory of the place where her family of nine lived.
Tyler McCain also lost his family's home in the fire that struck Fritch.
When McCain saw the field across from his family's home engulfed in flames before evacuating, he didn't know if the house was still standing and faced expectations of returning.
Lokman Vral Eribor/Anadolu/Getty Images
Aerial view of the burnt area after a wildfire in Stinnett, Texas, on Friday.
“I didn't think it was real until I saw my house,” McCain told CNN's Danny Freeman.
Gov. Greg Abbott described the widespread devastation at a news conference Friday.
“When you look at the aftermath of damage, you often see structures that are still there,” Abbott said. “If you look at the damage here, it's just gone. It's completely gone. There's nothing but ash on the ground, and the people who went through this experienced complete devastation.”
State Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller expected the number of livestock deaths to skyrocket and asked for donations of hay and feed and prayers for residents who lost homes and livestock in the “monster” fire.
“It was very devastating,” Miller told CNN's Omar Jimenez on Sunday, adding that more than 500 structures were lost.
“There's no grass, there's no water for all the livestock,” Miller added. “We have lost more than 3,000 animals, which is a very small number and could easily have doubled or tripled. He was euthanized due to damage to the hooves and udders. We have a cow that we’re trying to kill, and we just have to euthanize it.”
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A homeowner's double-wide cell phone frame was cut off after it was destroyed by the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Stinnett, Texas.
Miller said seven grain and seed distributors in the state “completely lost everything and were wiped out.”
“There's been a lot of damage here,” he said.
More than 1,000 cattle have been reported missing or dead in Hemphill County, as well as several horse, goat and sheep carcasses, as the fire subsides and evaluation continues, Miller said in a news release Friday. , added that the number in Hemphill County and other affected areas is expected to increase further. It can be implemented.
Andy Holloway with Hemphill County AgriLife Extension told CNN on Sunday. “The cattle that these ranchers are raising have been…severely burned, and this will have a negative impact on the domestic supply of beef going forward.”
