Disaster in Texas: Wildfires grow to 1 million acres due to high temperatures and strong winds

The strong wind and high temperatures could worsen the fires that remain active in the state of Texas, including the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest on record in the state that is still largely uncontrolled in the Panhandle.

So far, the fire has burned more than a million acres, making it one of the most destructive in U.S. history.

The fire devastated cattle ranches, consumed homes and killed at least two people.

It has also devastated the state’s agriculture, killing thousands of livestock, destroying crops and infrastructure.

Warmer, drier weather over the weekend threatens to worsen conditions.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service warned that this Saturday a wide swath of the region is under high fire risk, from western Texas to southeastern South Dakota.

The most “critical” “threat” is in the Panhandle region, where about 4.5 million people are at risk.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which has also affected the state of Oklahoma, is 15% contained and is just one of five currently burning in the Texas Panhandle.

The Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County has burned 141,000 acres and is 60% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The Grape Vine Creek Fire in Gray County has spread across 346,000 acres and is 60% contained, while the Magenta Fire in Oldham County has destroyed 3,300 acres and is 85% contained.

And the Reamer Fire in Hutchinson County has burned nearly 2,000 acres and is 10% contained.

In a press conference, the governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, stated on Friday that The devastation is like nothing I have seen before.

“When you look at the damage here, everything is completely gone. There is nothing left but ashes on the ground, so those who have gone through this have suffered total devastation,” he stated.

Abbott said early assessments suggested between 400 and 500 structures in the region had been destroyed by the fire, and warned that the number could increase as studies continued. Authorities also said several firefighters and other emergency workers have suffered injuries.

Keep reading:

– Why did the Smokehouse Creek wildfire, the largest in Texas history, spread so quickly?
– Catastrophic fires in Texas and Oklahoma have burned more than 1 million acres
– Texas emergency: wildfires consume more than 500,000 acres and thousands are left without power