Various forest fires affected Texas, southern United States, on Wednesday (02/28/2024), one of them among the largest in its recent history and out of control, while several towns remained evacuated and some properties were destroyed by the flames.
According to the Texas Forest Service, 7 fires remained “active” on Wednesday, located in the north and northeast of the state. Another 16 incidents in north, northeast and east Texas were contained (still burning but not advancing), totaling 23. A dozen were already under control and were removed from the list.
The largest active fires hit the area known as the Panhandle, named so because of the shape of this square area on the map at the top, north of Texas. The most recent report from the state Forest Service reported 418,500 hectares of consumed areas.
The largest active outbreak so far, known as Smokehouse Creek (north), had burned about 344,000 hectares as of Wednesday, and was “3%” under control. This is the second largest forest fire recorded in the state since 1988, according to official data.
Evacuations and burned houses
Canadian, one of the cities near the largest fire, had several areas affected, although the population at risk had already been evacuated on Tuesday. The city’s mayor, Terrill Bartlett, told CNN this Wednesday that no one was “seriously injured.” “No one lost their lives, but some houses burned,” he explained.
Meteorologist Chad Myers said the Smokehouse Creek fire was moving at a rate of “two football fields per second.”
During the night of Tuesday, the main nuclear weapons factory in the United States, Pantex, located near one of the affected areas, had to temporarily interrupt its activities. The company reported on Wednesday in X that it has resumed work normally and that its facilities are no longer under threat at the moment.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reported that President Joe Biden was receiving updates on the incident and that they were in contact with front-line staff.
Heavy machinery to surround fires
Borger authorities shared images showing smoldering devastated areas, with several buildings consumed by flames. Heavy machinery worked to fend off the advance of the fires.
For its part, the city of Fritch, also in the area, remained without electricity or water and authorities urged the population to remain in shelters.
«Some of the houses are still burning. There are areas where there may not be active fire, but the properties are damaged and we simply cannot let them in there. There are also ongoing search and rescue efforts,” said Deidra Thomas, spokesperson for Hutchinson County Emergency Management (where the cities of Borger and Fritch belong), in a video posted on social media.
#Texas #faces #biggest #fires #history #Diario #Página
