Central Texas first responders help put out wildfires in Panhandle

AMARILLO, Texas — Central Texas is one of many places across the state sending first responders to help put out wildfires in the Panhandle.

Early Wednesday morning, fires began spreading across the Panhandle. The largest fire, designated the Smokehouse Creek fire, has covered more than 500,000 acres in Hutchinson County and parts of western Oklahoma. 

As of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, that fire was not contained. Residents in more than 60 counties have been urged to evacuate their homes after Gov. Greg Abbott announced a disaster declaration. 

On Tuesday, the Pflugerville Fire Department posted to Facebook, saying firefighters with Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 were heading to the Panhandle to help put out the fires. The firefighters will serve as part of the Brush Truck Strike Team, along with crews from the Killeen Fire Department, Kyle Fire Department/Hays County ESD No. 5, Travis County EDS No. 1, Temple Fire & Rescue and the Moffett Fire Department. 

RELATED: Out-of-control wildfires scorch Texas Panhandle and pause work at nuclear weapons facility

The majority of the six active fires are spreading near the Amarillo area, including in Hutchinson, Moore, Upshur, Oldham and Gray counties. 

The second largest fire is called Windy Deuce and is currently active across 40,000 acres in Moore County. That fire was 20% contained as of around 10:30 a.m.

As the fires continued to spread, Amarillo-based nuclear power plant Pantex has evacuated most employees and paused its operations for the time being. 

The cause of the fires is currently unknown.

 A live tracker of the fires is available on the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer.

RELATED: Rapidly expanding wildfires in the Texas Panhandle prompt evacuations

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