The fires are impacting parts of the Texas Panhandle. A number of counties in Texas have been declared disaster areas as a result of “devastating” wildfires, and parts of the Texas Panhandle have been told to evacuate.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for sixty counties on Tuesday, citing “widespread wildfire activity throughout the state.”
According to a statement released by Abbott on Tuesday, the proclamation will guarantee the prompt deployment of fire response resources to “areas in the Texas Panhandle being impacted by devastating wildfires.”
At the Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant near Amarillo, “wildfires in northern Texas and western Oklahoma prompted a precautionary evacuation of non-essential personnel.” Every unique material is secure and unaltered. According to an internal DHS/CISA situation assessment, “early voting has not been found to have any negative effects in either state.”
According to the source ABC News was able to receive, “The Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant in Carson County evacuated all non-essential personnel and paused operations until further notice due to the ongoing wildfires.” “Every weapon and unique material is secure and unharmed. The Windy Deuce Fire is roughly 13 miles away from the site.”
Furthermore, the organization notes that “a hospital and assisted living facility in Shattuck, Oklahoma had to be evacuated as a result of the Smokehouse Creek fire spreading into northwest Oklahoma. The fires are also affecting a number of municipal and state highways.”
As to the Texas A&M Forest Service, there were thirteen wildfires that required extinguishment on Monday. The weather on Tuesday is anticipated to be ideal for additional wildfire activity.
The Texas Panhandle saw “multiple large wildfires ignite under warm, dry, and windy conditions earlier today,” the agency posted on social media. “Today, strong winds will likely impact these wildfires and the potential for new ignitions remains.”
The National Weather Service reports that as of Tuesday, the Panhandles’ center and eastern regions were still mostly affected by fires.
Among the fires, the Texas A&M Forest Service reports that the Hutchinson County Smokehouse Creek Fire has burnt 500,000 acres and is 100% contained as of Wednesday morning.
A spokeswoman for the department told ABC News that there was “extreme fire behavior” linked to the incident on Tuesday, with wind gusts reaching 60 mph and flames rising up to 20 feet in the grass. As of Tuesday night, fire officials reported that the Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County had burnt an estimated 38,000 acres and was 20% contained.
In response to inquiries from locals during a Facebook live stream on Wednesday, Deidra Thomas, a spokesman for Hutchinson County Emergency Management, stated that some buildings in Fritch, a city of roughly 2,100 people, had been totally destroyed and that the region was still dangerous.
“I don’t think a lot of folks that live in the Fritch area are … going to be prepared for what they’re going to see as they pull into town,” she continued. “Some homes were completely lost…”
According to an update on the website of the fire coordination center, structures were lost when fires that had spread from the Windy Deuce fire this week raged onto the south side of the town of Fritch, Texas.
“This is an evolving situation and due to the complexity of the fire, there are no details on the number and type of structures that have been destroyed/damaged at this time,” said the statement. It also stated there had been no reports of injuries.
The Hutchinson County emergency management coordinator, Jerry Langwell, predicted that the destruction caused by the fires in the 13-mile stretch between the communities of Fritch and Borger would leave people “shocked” during a briefing on Tuesday night.
As a result of strong winds, “fire behavior continues to be very active,” the Texas A&M Forest Service posted on social media.
Fritch, a city in the counties of Hutchinson and Moore, reported that since Monday, more than 40 residences have sustained damage. The city has been evacuated in parts.
The National Weather Service announced on Tuesday night that numerous cities and settlements in the Amarillo region, including Skelly town, Wheeler, Allison, and Briscoe, are under mandatory evacuation. Pampa is under voluntary evacuation, according to the statement.
Abbott issued a warning, stating that if the high temperatures and windy conditions persist, the wildfires may spread in the upcoming days.
“Texans are urged to limit activities that could create sparks and take precautions to keep their loved ones safe,” he stated.
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