Melted and split power poles, charred homes and property — that's what's left after the Smokehouse Creek Fire broke out in Texas on Monday. The fire has spread to 1.1 million hectares since Monday, reports A CBS News According to a fire department report Thursday.
83-year-old Joyce Blankenship died Wednesday night as a result of the fire.
As we reported, part of Texas caught fire, many settlements were evacuated, and even the country's largest nuclear weapons plant had to be shut down. Due to the rapid spread of wildfires in Texas, evacuation orders have already been issued for several cities on Tuesday. Dry vegetation and wind also help the fire spread quickly.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire is now the second largest in Texas history at more than 850,000 acres. That's just 57,000 acres short of being the largest wildfire ever in Texas.
Stay tuned.pic.twitter.com/WDy65dk6hi
– Steve Hanke (@Steve_hanke) February 29, 2024
The fire in Hutchinson County has spread to 1.1 million acres and is about 3% contained, according to the West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department.
It is now the largest and most destructive fire in Texas history, and the second largest wildfire in US history.
– said the firefighters.
The Texas Forest Service on Wednesday changed the state's wildfire preparedness level from 5 to 3, meaning wildfires are affecting many areas of the state due to drought, dry vegetation and fire-prone weather conditions. According to the Forest Service, there is another fire nearby, called Reamer 687, that started in the same county and has now burned in this blaze.
🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING UPDATE: A fire has broken out in Texas along Interstate 83, prompting evacuations. Governor Abbott declared a disaster in 60 counties. Stay informed and stay safe.
Source: Texas Governor's Office #TexasFire Emergency response
– Ifeanyi Madumere 🫶🏾 (@virginperspect) February 28, 2024
There are at least five active wildfires spreading across the state, and the Smokehouse Creek Fire was the largest of the thousands. The second largest fire in Moore County is the Windy Deuce Fire, which has grown to an estimated 142,000 acres and is 30 percent contained, according to the Forest Service.
Other active wildfires are the Grapevine Creek Fire in Gray County and the Magenta Fire in Oldham County.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire reached historic proportions a few days later. Previously, the largest fire ever to occur in Texas was the 2006 East Amarillo Complex Fire, which spread to more than 907,000 hectares.
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