Mon, Apr 1st, 2024 - 10:33am
February 28, 2024 - 9:45am | By Ty Schonert
(Amarillo, TX) -- 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 500,000 acres since Monday afternoon. The fire remains 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.
Pantex, a facility that works with the country's nuclear weapons arsenal, is located 30 miles from Amarillo, is near several wildfires in the region, including the Smokehouse Creek fire. They have stated on social media that "All weapons and special materials are safe and unaffected [...] there is currently no fire on the plant site and emergency personnel continue to monitor the situation."
