AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – On this episode of the Yellow City Rundown for the week of May 18-May 22, we focus on looking at a rundown of events of the “Stinky” or “Landfill” fire that occurred in Potter County this week.
We also dive into what happened in Amarillo on May 22, 1930.
Top the Panhandle:
- Updates regarding the wildfires that have affected the Panhandle
- “Stinky”/”Landfill” Fire in Potter County | 2,335 acres; 100% contained
- Meanwhile, the “Hungate” Fire in Randall County (34,131 acres), the “Kress” Fire in Swisher County (1,551 acres), and the “Line” Fire in Oldham County (10,913 acres) were all considered 100% contained by the Texas A&M Forest Service by Wednesday morning.
- All fires in multiple parts of the Texas Panhandle contained
- On Sunday, Amarillo fire officials confirmed that a fire was contained to the trash pit, with less than 5 acres burning.
- On Monday afternoon, officials began issuing voluntary evacuations for neighborhoods surrounding the landfill. The fire was reported that night to have grown to about 2,000 acres.
- The Texas A&M Forest Service named the fire the ‘Stinky’ fire.
- On Monday evening, Potter County officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for Bishop Estates/Hills and other neighborhoods or regions that were under voluntary evacuations.
- On Tuesday at 12:15 p.m., officials with Potter County Fire-Rescue announced “most of the fire is out” even though evacuations were still active.
- The Amarillo Office of Emergency Management announced on Tuesday afternoon that it would begin the re-entry process for evacuation areas with temporary access to Bishop Estates and Bishop Ranches and full entry with controlled access for other areas. All roads in the area reopened on Tuesday evening.
- Potter County officials announced on Wednesday that 52 homes were destroyed in Potter County.
- On Thursday, Texas A&M Forest Service stated the fire burned 2,335 acres and was 100% contained
- On Thursday evening, the City of Amarillo released a video from Amarillo City Manager Grayson Path providing an update on the recent wildfire response.
- Path stated that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a notice of violation to the city in relation to the landfill at the end of April, which the city did not receive until May 20.
- Path said a fire started at some point, but was not caught until Sunday, when the landfill was not in service. Emergency responses were ongoing until a specialized crew arrived on Monday.
- Path announced that he would be reviewing landfill operations and looking closely at what happened.
- Mayor Cole Stanley also announced on Thursday evening that there would be a press conference regarding the landfill fire with his attendance and that of Councilmember Don Tipps.
- The press conference is at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 22 – more updates regarding the press conference can be found on MyHighPlains.com.
- Stories featured in this episode of the Yellow City Rundown:
- Marty Jones reflects on losing home, Estates Drive
- Resident talks loss of home at Blue Quail Drive in landfill fire
- Amarillo Area Foundation talks about Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund
- Ways to donate to those affected by fire in Potter County, High Plains
Panhandle Planner:
- Upcoming stories for the week of May 25 through 29:
- Memorial Day is on May 25
- City of Amarillo outdoor pool, splash pads open for 2026 summer season; Southwest, Southeast pools remain closed
- The First Lady Tour in Borger is on May 27
- Memorial Day is on May 25
Route 66 Rewind:
- From the Amarillo Daily News on May 22, 1930
- More than a sixth of the people in Randall County lived in Amarillo in 1930\
- The population was 7,073, and there were 843 farms.
Weather Watch:
- Storms chance persist through next week
For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.…