Texas wildfires, including second-largest on record, rage across Panhandle

CANADIAN, Texas, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Richard Murray choked back tears on Wednesday as he surveyed the charred remains of his mechanic's workshop and home of 50 years in the small Texas Panhandle town of Canadian. The previous night a sheriff's deputy had pounded on the door and ordered Murray and his wife Gilissa to evacuate as the state's second-largest wildfire on record approached their home. "The house is gone and all the cars are melted," said Murray, 72, shortly after he returned home Wednesday morning. "There's nothing left."The wildfire, raging northeast of Amarillo since Monday, has blackened 850,000 acres (344,000 hectares) of grasslands and timber since Monday and spread eastward across the border of Oklahoma, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported. At least one person, an 83-year-old woman in Hutchinson County, was reported by local media to have died in the blaze, dubbed the Smokehouse Creek fire. Firefighters had managed to carve containment lines around just 3% of the blaze as of Wednesday night, officials said.Terrill Bartlett, Canadian's mayor, said the town was "blessed" that there had been no reports of serious injuries or fatalities, but it was devastating for residents who had lost homes. "We're the kind of community that pulls together and supports one another," he said on Wednesday. Murray said he and his wife will stay with friends for now and have already received dozens of calls from people offering help. On Wednesday morning, they were searching for their dogs and two cats. "That's the hardest thing, not knowing what happened to them," he said. Environment Texas wildfires, including second-largest on record, rage across Panhandle By Nick Oxford and Rich Mckay February 28, 20249:49 PM PSTUpdated 5 hours ago CANADIAN, Texas, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Richard Murray choked back tears on Wednesday as he surveyed the charred remains of his mechanic's workshop and home of 50 years in the small Texas Panhandle town of Canadian. The previous night a sheriff's deputy had pounded on the door and ordered Murray and his wife Gilissa to evacuate as the state's second-largest wildfire on record approached their home. "The house is gone and all the cars are melted," said Murray, 72, shortly after he returned home Wednesday morning. "There's nothing left." Advertisement · Scroll to continue The wildfire, raging northeast of Amarillo since Monday, has blackened 850,000 acres (344,000 hectares) of grasslands and timber since Monday and spread eastward across the border of Oklahoma, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported. At least one person, an 83-year-old woman in Hutchinson County, was reported by local media to have died in the blaze, dubbed the Smokehouse Creek fire. Firefighters had managed to carve containment lines around just 3% of the blaze as of Wednesday night, officials said. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics Several smaller wildfires were burning other parts of the state's northern Panhandle, stoked by fierce winds and hot, dry conditions. The area scorched by the Smokehouse Creek Fire exceeded the land mass of the state of Rhode Island, making it nearly as immense as the largest wildfire on record in Texas, the East Amarillo Complex Fire that burned 907,000 acres in 2006. The Forest Service said an as-yet unknown number of structures were damaged and destroyed. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report this ad Terrill Bartlett, Canadian's mayor, said the town was "blessed" that there had been no reports of serious injuries or fatalities, but it was devastating for residents who had lost homes. "We're the kind of community that pulls together and supports one another," he said on Wednesday. Murray said he and his wife will stay with friends for now and have already received dozens of calls from people offering help. On Wednesday morning, they were searching for their dogs and two cats. "That's the hardest thing, not knowing what happened to them," he said.

[1/19]A drone view of buildings damaged by a wildfire in Stinnett, Texas, U.S., February 28, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Tucker Stroud/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab read more...