The deadly Texas wildfires have scorched over 1 million acres, killed thousands of livestock and destroyed crops.
Ranches have burned, highways are shut down and thousands have been evacuated.
As of this weekend, the fire is only 15% contained.
Massive wildfires engulfed parts of the Texas panhandle this week amid gusty winds and unseasonably warm weather.
Fire crossing Hwy 83 again 7 miles south of Canadian. #txwx pic.twitter.com/4bvzaXe4Fd
— Chad Casey (@WxFanaticCC) February 27, 2024
At least two women have died in the fires, the AP reported.
Birdseye view of the Smokehouse Creek fire damage:
I’m flying into Amarillo, Texas to cover the Smokehouse Creek Fire. You can see the burn scars where it was too hot for snow to stick to the ground.
The fire is now the largest in Texas history, at a staggering 1,075,000 acres burned.
Live reports on @KPRC2. pic.twitter.com/wAJmSaetUs
— Gage Goulding – KPRC 2 (@GageGoulding) February 29, 2024
The number of cattle killed in the wildfires in not known at this time.
The Texas Tribune reported:
The largest wildfire in Texas history has devastated the state’s agriculture, blazing through more than 1 million acres of land in the Panhandle, killing thousands of livestock, destroying crops and gutting infrastructure.
The agriculture industry, a big driver of the state’s economy, was already facing pressures from prolonged and widespread drought that forced ranchers to manage smaller herds, contributing to a decrease in beef production nationally. The series of wildfires in the Panhandle this week is another blow as many ranchers tried to rebuild their herds and operations during the cooler months of the year.
Over 85% of the state’s cattle population is located on ranches in the Panhandle, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. In 2021, agriculture accounted for 9% of Texas’ gross state product, adding $186.1 billion to the state’s economy, according to Texas A&M’s Agrilife Extension report.
While numbers on how many cattle were lost in the fires are unknown, experts say ranchers will face significant economic pressure from the damage.
Governor Greg Abbott (R) said he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy additional emergency response resources as Texas responds to wildfires impacting the Panhandle.
I directed @TDEM to deploy additional emergency response resources as Texas responds to wildfires impacting the Panhandle.
We also increased the readiness level of the State Emergency Operations Center.
Texas stands ready to provide all available resources to protect Texans. pic.twitter.com/0YOfUXLKda
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 28, 2024
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