At least 1 dead as wildfires continue burning in Texas Panhandle
- More than a million acres burned in wildfires across Texas panhandle
- Cause of fires unknown; strong winds, dry grass, warm temps fuel blazes
- Gov. Greg Abbott issued disaster declaration in 60 counties
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CANADIAN, Texas (NewsNation) — The explosive growth of the second-largest wildfire in Texas history slowed as winds and temperatures dipped, but the massive blaze was still untamed Thursday and threatening more death and destruction.
An 83-year-old grandmother is the only confirmed death so far, but with flames still menacing a wide area, authorities have yet to conduct a thorough search for victims or tally the numbers of homes and structures damaged or destroyed.
Officials didn’t identify the victim, but the grandson of Joyce Blankenship, of Stinnett, wrote in a Facebook post that his grandmother died Tuesday.
The Texas A&M Forest Service confirmed five ongoing fires, with the Smokehouse Creek fire being the largest in the rural Panhandle section of the state, scorching 850,000 acres. It could become the largest wildfire in the state’s history. Additionally, it’s charred 1,300 square miles and crossed into Oklahoma.
Over a million acres have burned in the Panhandle since Monday, roughly the size of Rhode Island. The Smokehouse fire is only 3% contained. Authorities have not said what ignited the fires, but strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm temperatures fed the blazes.
A U.S. Forest Service spokesman warns that flames as tall as a one-story building can burn the length of a football field in one minute, posing a threat to ranches in North Texas.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties.
Thursday’s forecast of temperatures in the 40s and a chance of rain offered a window to make progress before temperatures and winds increase this weekend. There’s optimism for reduced wind and potential rain to aid firefighters in saving more property and lives.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire spread from Texas into neighboring Roger Mills County in western Oklahoma, where officials encouraged people in the Durham area to flee. At least 13 homes burned in fires in the state’s Panhandle region, officials said Wednesday.
The largest fire recorded in state history was the 2006 East Amarillo Complex fire, which burned about 1,400 square miles and resulted in 13 deaths.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
