Texas fire live updates: Dry weather to intensify state's largest wildfire - The Independent

Texas fire live updates: Dry weather and strong winds threatened to intensify state’s largest ever wildfire | The Independent

Texas fire live updates: State’s largest ever wildfire is only 15% contained after five days

There’s still no end in sight for Smokehouse Creek fire which is now five times the size of New York City

Katie Hawkinson,

Stuti Mishra,
Andrea Cavallier Comments

The Smokehouse Creek Fire in Texas, which has merged with another fire and crossed the state line into western Oklahoma, was only 15 percent contained after five days, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Strong winds and dry conditions on Saturday threatened to intensify the monster wildfire which is already the largest in state history.

The fire has burned more than 1.1 million acres across the Texas Panhandle and destroyed 500 structures, Texas authorities confirmed.

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a red flag warning for the entire Panhandle from late Saturday morning through midnight Sunday after rain and snow on Thursday allowed firefighters to contain a portion of the fire.

The fires have killed at least two people.

Joyce Blankenship, 83, was found dead in her destroyed Hutchinson County home, officials said.

On Thursday it was confirmed that a second woman – Cindy Owens – had succumbed to her injuries after getting out of her truck and being severely burned.
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See it: Time lapse of Smokehouse Creek Fire

Video obtained by ABC7 Amarillo shows a time lapse of the time lapse of the Smokehouse Creek Fire.

In four minutes, the air temperature goes from 75 degrees to 104 degrees.
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Two firefighters were injured battling flames in Oklahoma

Two firefighters were injured battling the flames in Oklahoma from the fire that spread from Texas, The Associated Press reported.

One suffered a heat-related injury and the other was injured when the brush pumper he was riding in struck a tanker truck as the two were heading to fight the fire near Gage.

Both firefighters are expected to recover.
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Critical fire weather conditions continue today

“Critical fire weather conditions are expected to continue today as winds out of the southwest

gust to 50 mph and humidity drops below 15 percent,” the National Weather Service posted on Sunday. “Please refrain entirely from outdoor activities that generate sparks or flames.”

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Maps of fires ravaging the Texas Panhandle

The Smokehouse Creek fire is now the largest in state history as it burns 1,078,086 acres alone, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. It is just 15 per cent contained as of Saturday.

The fires have killed at least two people.

Joyce Blankenship, 83, was found dead in her destroyed Hutchinson County home, officials said.

On Thursday it was confirmed that a second woman – Cindy Owens – had succumbed to her injuries after getting out of her truck and being severely burned.

See maps of these deadly blazes:

Texas wildfires: Map of blazes ravaging the Panhandle

The Smokehouse Creek fire is largest in state history
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SEE IT: Destruction from largest fire in Texas state history

Fire officials handle smoldering debris of a destroyed home in Stinnett, Texas
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Two dead as Smokehouse Creek fire ravages Texas panhandle

Joyce Blankenship, 83, was found dead in her Stinnett, Texas home on Wednesday as wildfires ravaged the region. She was a beloved mother, grandmother and former substitute teacher, say her relatives.

More than a dozen other homes in her town were destroyed by the fires, which now include the largest blaze in state history: the Smokehouse Creek fire, burning one million acres alone in the Texas Panhandle.

Blankenship’s grandson, Lee Quesada, told the Associated Press that local deputies told his uncle they had found her remains in her burned home on Wednesday.

On Thursday it was confirmed that a second woman – Cindy Owens – had succumbed to her injuries after getting out of her truck and being severely burned.
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Deadly Texas fires destroy up to 500 structures
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Map of fires ravaging the Texas Panhandle

The Smokehouse Creek fire is the largest in state history, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

It is just 15 per cent contained after five days, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service on Saturday.

Here’s a map where the fires are raging:

Texas wildfires: Map of blazes ravaging the Panhandle

The Smokehouse Creek fire became the largest in state history on Thursday morning, burning more than one million acres
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Former VP Al Gore calls for action amid Texas wildfires, California blizzard

The former vice president called for action as The Smokehouse Creek Fire continues to rage in Texas and a blizzard pummels northern California.

“Today from Truckee to Texas, communities are coming face-to-face with the devastating impacts of the climate crisis. 100mph winds and 12’ of snow are battering the Sierra Nevada while crews battle the largest wildfire in Texas history. We owe it to our our communities, neighbors, friends, and family to take action now to prevent further climate chaos.”
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Red Flag Warning in effect until 7pmCST

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 7pmCST on Saturday for critical fire weather conditions as the fires continue in the Texas panhandle.