Largest Fire in State History of Texas
A big fire, called the Smokehouse Creek Fire, is spreading quickly in the Texas Panhandle. Another person has died because of this fire. The police said a woman from Amarillo, Cindy Owen, was driving her truck in Hemphill County when the fire trapped her. She got out of her truck, but the fire burned her badly. She went to the hospital but died the next day.
An 83-year-old woman was found dead in a small town called Stinnett. The police say they haven’t searched everywhere yet, and some places are very damaged.
The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, said in a meeting in Borger that many buildings are destroyed, and only ashes are left. He praised the brave firefighters who are working hard to stop the fire.
The firefighters are trying to stop the fire quickly because the weather is making it harder. Warm winds and low humidity are making the fire spread more. They worry that if they don’t stop it soon, it will get even worse.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire joined with another fire and went into Oklahoma, burning homes and killing many animals. It’s the biggest fire in Texas history, burning over a million acres of land. Some rain and snow helped the firefighters a little bit.
A firefighter named Lee Jones said the snow is helpful. They are trying to put out the fire in Stinnett. The firefighters are happy when the fire isn’t moving fast because then they can catch up and stop it.
Bill Kendall, who works for the emergency management, said it looks like a moon’s surface where the fire burned. Many homes were destroyed, but no buildings in the town were lost.
People had to leave their homes because of the fire. The sheriff said they should leave Canadian. Other towns like Glazier and Higgins also had to evacuate. Everyone in Roberts County had to leave too.
A pastor named Courtney Kirksey said many people lost everything because of the fire. The fire is hard to predict, and it changes directions quickly.
A spokesperson for the emergency management said the fire is like a tornado. People might not be ready for what they see when they come back.
The police don’t know how the fire started yet. They’re telling people to watch the weather and be ready to leave if they need to.
The governor declared a disaster in 60 counties and told people to be careful not to start fires. He wants everyone to stay safe.
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