As Texas crews battle largest wildfire in state history, more fire weather ahead: Live updates
Firefighters battling the largest wildfire in Texas state history saw a brief reprieve from the dry, hot conditions that fueled the flames, but forecasters warned Friday that more dangerous weather is coming this weekend.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire tore through over 1 million acres of land, taking an untold number of homes and other structures down in its wake. It is just one of several wildfires burning in the Texas Panhandle and across state lines into Oklahoma.
Rain and snow that fell Thursday helped firefighters get more of a handle on the massive inferno, which was 15% contained on Friday, up from 3% the day before, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
"Most of the fire received some precipitation yesterday and there was no fire growth," the forest service said.
Two women have been confirmed dead in the wildfires, but officials haven't yet done a thorough search of burned areas to look for victims or given an estimate of the number of buildings burned.
President Joe Biden, in Texas on Thursday to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, said he directed federal officials to do “everything possible” to assist fire-affected communities, including sending firefighters and equipment. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has guaranteed Texas and Oklahoma will be reimbursed for their emergency costs, the president said.
“When disasters strike, there’s no red states or blue states where I come from,” Biden said. “Just communities and families looking for help. So we’re standing with everyone affected by these wildfires and we’re going to continue to help you respond and recover.”
Gov. Greg Abbott is scheduled to receive a briefing and hold a press conference in Borger, Texas, on Friday afternoon with emergency management officials.
More fire weather expected this weekend
A round of light rain and snow fell in the area on Thursday, giving firefighters more favorable conditions to battle flames. But the relief was only short-lived as forecasters warn of increased fire danger starting later Friday.
The National Weather Service in Amarillo, Texas, said Friday that "elevated fire weather conditions" were expected to develop by afternoon in the western and southern Texas Panhandle, with critical conditions developing Saturday and lasting through Sunday night.
Unfortunately, the moisture we just received is likely insufficient for fuels to begin greening up and thus they will remain highly susceptible to ignition, National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Ferguson in Amarillo said.
In the Texas Panhandle, where the Smokehouse Creek Fire and others are burning, the land is flat, grassy and brush-filled, giving any fires that do start ample fuel to burn.
On Saturday, the grass will be very dry, winds will bring up to 40mph gusts and humidity will be under 10%, the weather service said, warning people not to engage in any activities outdoors that could spark flames.
"Over a million acres have already burned – please don't make it worse," the weather service in Amarillo said.
2 women identified as fire victims
Officials said one woman died Thursday morning of injuries sustained on Tuesday from the fire. Cindy Owen was driving in Hemphill County, south of the town of Canadian, when she encountered fire or smoke, according to Department of Public Safety Sgt. Chris Ray. She got out of her truck and was overtaken by flames. A passerby found her and called first responders, who took her to a burn unit in Oklahoma, where she later died.
The other victim was identified by family members as 83-year-old Joyce Blankenship, a former substitute teacher. Her grandson, Lee Quesada, said deputies told his uncle on Wednesday that her remains were found in her burned home.
Texas' largest fires in history
Before the Smokehouse Creek Fire took the title, the largest fire in Texas state history was the East Amarillo Complex fire. The fire ignited in Hutchinson County on March 12, 2006, and blazed through more than 907,000 acres, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
It also caused 13 fatalities, making it the deadliest in the state's history.
Historically, slightly more than 1% of the state’s land has burned each decade since 1984. Climate models project an increase as soil and vegetation become drier by 2100.
Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Elizabeth Weise and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; The Associated Press