A fast-moving wildfire in the Texas Panhandle is now the second largest in the state’s history. That’s according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The Smokehouse Creek fire has burned 500-thousand acres since Monday afternoon. The fire remains completely uncontained and is expected to grow even more.
One Texas county judge said “homes have been burned in almost every direction.” The flames have knocked out power and forced families to flee, with evacuations being ordered in several counties. Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties because of the fires.
In Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt said emergency response teams have been activated in response to the wildfires reported Tuesday in 15 Oklahoma counties. Oklahoma Forestry Services is reporting that 32 ‘uncontained’ fires have burned more than 30-thousand acres. The State’s Emergency Operations Center was activated due to the wildfires.
There were evacuations in Gage and Shattuck, including at Newman Memorial Hospital and Shattuck Nursing Center. Three structures burned. One injury was reported. An emergency responder suffered a heat-related illness.
FEMA said it is closely monitoring the fire situation in Oklahoma and Texas.
[ photo: Texas A&M Forest Service – Facebook ]
