In this handout photo provided by the Texas A&M Forest Service, fire crosses a road in the Smokehouse Creek fire on the evening of Feb. 27, 2024, in the Texas panhandle. (Texas A&M Forest Service via Getty Images/TNS)
Lana Ferguson – The Dallas Morning News
The Smokehouse Creek fire that burned through more than 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle is completely contained after a nearly three-week battle.
The blaze, sparked Feb. 26 in Hutchinson County near Stinnett, quickly grew to become the largest wildfire in state history and among the largest in U.S. history.
A cluster of wildfires in the region burned across several counties, killing at least two people and destroying hundreds of homes.
Thousands of cattle were also left dead in the region that’s home to more than 80% of Texas’ cattle.
The Texas A&M Forest Service announced the final update on the Smokehouse Creek fire Saturday night, saying the inferno’s size was roughly 1,058,482 acres and 100% contained.
“All state resources have been released and the fire has transitioned back to the local unit,” the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said.
The organization also announced the Windy Deuce fire, which began in Moore County near Fritch and was an estimated 144,045 acres, was 100% contained. The inferno ignited hours after the Smokehouse Creek fire and merged with it days later.
State investigators concluded the Smokehouse Creek fire and Windy Deuce fire were ignited by power lines, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Minnesota-based utility provider Xcel Energy said in a March 7 statement that its facilities appeared to have been involved in igniting the Smokehouse Creek fire. In the same statement, the company said it did not believe its facilities played a role in the Windy Deuce fire.
Hundreds of firefighters and other first responders spent almost three weeks attempting to contain the blazes. At one point there were 14 state and 45 local agencies taking part in the disaster response.
Gov. Greg Abbott visited Borger with Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd while the fires were still burning to meet with local officials. They discussed what resources were immediately needed but also what could be done in the future to prevent the fires or enable quicker responses when one does begin.
_____
©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
