In Texas, big fires are causing big problems. Four huge wildfires started on a day with a red flag warning, and now, they are spreading fast in the Texas Panhandle. More than 240,000 acres of land are already burned, and it seems like these fires won’t stop anytime soon.
The largest fire, Smokehouse Creek in Stinnett has grown really big, burning over 280,000 acres. It doubled in size from 100,000 acres just on Tuesday morning. Surprisingly, it’s not under control at all – it’s at zero percent containment.
Because of this danger, almost 5,000 people in the Panhandle cities of Canadian, Fritch, and Glazier are told to stay where they are and not leave their homes.
Hemphill County, where Canadian is, got some scary news. At first, they were told to leave their homes because Smokehouse Creek fire was coming their way, burning more than 250,000 acres in just one day. But leaving became a problem when the main road was blocked by the fire.
The Hemphill County Sheriff’s Office said, “Hey, go to the gym at Canadian High School and stay there. It’s the safest place right now.”
Stephanie Purcell from the sheriff’s office said that the wind might push the fire towards another road in Canadian.
“Earlier, we said you should leave, but now it’s too dangerous. It’s better to stay inside until the main part of the fire goes away.”
Firefighters are working really hard from all over the state, taking turns to stop the fire. They are worried because a cold front is coming, and that might change the direction of the wind, making the fire move again.
People are sharing pictures and videos on social media, showing small towns covered in smoke. The sky is turning brown because of the fires. Stinnett is one town that’s really hit hard.
Video Source: The Telegraph
Another big fire, Grape Vine Creek, near Pampa in Gray County, is causing trouble too. It’s the second-largest fire, burning 30,000 acres, and firefighters haven’t controlled it yet. People in Pampa are being told to leave if they can.
The City of Fritch in nearby Hutchinson County had to be evacuated. The county, including the cities of Borger and Fritch, is facing a “disaster.”
Fires damaged many homes and businesses, causing power outages and water shortages. Jerry Langwell, in charge of emergency management, said things are really bad.
“If you travel between here and Borger, you’ll be shocked.”
Hundreds of people are staying at the Celebration Family Church in Fritch, Texas, as many parts of the county are told to leave.
Because of the fires, water pumps in Fritch are not working, and there might be power outages too. Almost 2,000 people in the county have no power late on Tuesday night.
Langwell says the firefighters in the county are very busy, and Governor Greg Abbott is sending help to fight the fires.
Even though some places like Borger are not told to leave yet, the emergency management office is saying,
“Stay ready and pack a bag in case you need to leave quickly.”
They admit it’s hard to keep everyone updated because there are so many fires. They ask for prayers for everyone’s safety and tell people to have a bag packed just in case, posting this message on Facebook.
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