Texas faces the largest fires in its history

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The latest report from the Forestry Office shows a total of 509,800 hectares gone up in smoke. The largest outbreak, which started from Smokehouse Creek, is only “5%” contained and now also affects part of Oklahoma, a neighboring state.

Does this dramatic episode portend a devastating summer in Texas? While winter is not over, this state in the south of the United States is facing the most violent fires in its history. Two people died, authorities announced in a new report on Friday March 1. In addition to an 83-year-old grandmother who died in a house fire in the small town of Stinnett, a 44-year-old woman died Thursday after being seriously injured when the truck she was driving was suddenly surrounded by flames at Smokehouse Creek, in the northern tip of the state.

According to the latest report from the Forestry Office, some 509 800 hectares have already gone up in smoke in all the fires. This figure will inevitably increase. According to the latest emergency report, eleven fires have been contained (they are burning, but are no longer progressing), and a dozen have been brought under control. But in the north of the state, five fires remain active. Among them, the one from Smokehouse Creek is the largest. While it has already ravaged around 435 000 hectares, it is only contained 5% and now affects part of neighboring Oklahoma. According to CNN meteorologist Chad Myers, the fire was growing so quickly that it was charring the equivalent of two American football fields per second.

Firefighters fear that the situation will worsen over the weekend, due to expected winds, in a hot and dry climate. Several cities in the United States and Canada experienced record temperatures in February, with some even experiencing summer heat. According to experts, the El Niño phenomenon is to blame, in addition to global warming.

This is what firefighting looks like on the ground. Here in Moore County, a trench to try to contain the flames is dug using construction equipment on February 27, 2024. (J. GRIFFIN / TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE / TEXAS / AFP)

In the same region, in the northern tip of Texas, a fire called Smokehouse Creek continues to rage. This is what he looked like from a fire truck on February 27, 2024. (GREENVILLE FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATI / ANADOLU / AFP)

Firefighters from the city of Amarillo battle another fire, in the same area of ​​Texas, on February 28, 2024. (AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT / AFP)

The progression of the fire is visible from space, as shown in this satellite image from Maxar Technologies focusing on the northwest of the village of Miami, about fifty kilometers from Amarillo, on February 28, 2024. (SATELLITE IMAGE 2024 MAXAR TECH / AFP)

If the Smokehouse Creek fire continues to rage and is now attacking Oklahoma, a neighboring state, it has spared some houses, like here, in Canadian (Texas), February 29, 2024. (DAVID ERICKSON / AP / SIPA)

"Aud the dinosaur"statue turned mascot of the Texas town of Canadian, was spared the flames of the Smokehouse Creek fire, as shown in this photo from February 29, 2024. (DAVID ERICKSON / AP / SIPA)

Other constructions were less fortunate, like this house reduced to ashes after the fire on February 29, 2024 in Canadian (Texas). (DAVID ERICKSON / AP / SIPA)

Many homes, like here in Stinnett, Texas, were destroyed by the Smokehouse Creek Fire. Snowfall, which helped block the advance of the flames, gave the firefighters a brief respite on February 29, 2024. (JULIO CORTEZ / AP / SIPA)

In addition to material goods, many animals died during these historic fires, like this cow lying on the ground in Fritch, a town located about twenty kilometers north of Amarillo (Texas), on February 29, 2024. ( JULIO CORTEZ / AP / SIPA)


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