Texas Wildfires Rage as Drought and Wind Collide
The Texas Panhandle is burning.
As of this writing, multiple large wildfires are churning across one of America’s most wind-swept landscapes, forcing evacuations, shutting down highways, and pushing state and local firefighting crews to their limits. It is a familiar and frightening scene for anyone who lives in the Lone Star State — and the conditions driving these fires are showing no signs of letting up.
What’s Burning Right Now
The past 48 hours have been brutal across the High Plains. On Tuesday, a powerful low-pressure system centered in the northern Great Plains pushed strong westerly winds across drought-stressed northern Texas, and wildfires erupted almost simultaneously across multiple counties. The Texas A&M Forest Service received nine requests for assistance in a single day, with fires burning nearly 18,500 acres in that span alone.
As of this morning, two major fires remain active in the Texas Panhandle. A third smaller fire is nearing containment.
The 8 Ball Fire, burning in Armstrong and Donley counties, has scorched an estimated 9,000 acres and is only 40% contained.
The Lavender Fire, raging across Oldham and Potter counties near Amarillo, has consumed roughly 12,000 acres and stands at just 20% containment.
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