7th day since ignition… Even with the expected weather changes, the evolution rate was only 15%.
After the freezing rain, warm, dry weather and strong winds continue.
The worst forest fire in the history of Texas has continued for 7 days in the Panhandle region. While the expected effect of snow and rain on the 2nd (local time) to extinguish the fire was minimal, strong winds and dry weather caused by the subsequent rise in temperature made the weekend more difficult. Evolutionary work is becoming more difficult.
In the Panhandle area, more homes and land are being devastated on the 2nd, turning into desolate ashes and wastelands. According to local Texas media, two women have been officially confirmed dead so far, but additional damage is expected to be confirmed after the fire is extinguished.
Firefighters are focusing on stopping the spread of the blaze, which is being fueled by strong winds in the northern and eastern radii of the region, said Jason Nedlow, a spokesman for the team fighting the Smokehouse Creek fire, which started on February 26.
“We are currently concentrating our maximum efforts here to prevent loss of life and further destruction of houses and buildings,” Nedlow said.
In the Panhandle region, vast grasslands were turned into pitch-black wasteland as fire swept across the region, and only herds of burned cattle and the remains of more than 500 buildings remained in the Stinnett area.
This fire is spreading across the border with Oklahoma after merging with another smaller fire. The Texas State Forest Service announced on the 2nd that although 4,400 square kilometers have already been burned down, the extinguishment rate is only 15%.
The National Weather Service issued a red warning for the Panhandle region until midnight on the 3rd and announced that fire departments were able to extinguish some wildfires due to freezing rain that fell on February 29. However, on the 2nd, strong winds of 72 km/h, dry weather with humidity of less than 10%, and high temperatures of over 24 degrees continued again, making firefighting efforts more difficult.
Nedlo of the fire brigade said that with the current weather conditions, it is difficult to predict when the forest fire will be completely extinguished.
William Churchill, public information officer at the National Weather Service, expressed concern, “In addition to the existing forest fires, the dry and warm weather is blowing with strong winds, so a single electrical spark anywhere could cause a larger forest fire and spread.”
This wildfire is the largest fire ever to occur in Texas. Previously, in 2006, a fire broke out at the East Amarillo complex, burning 3,630 square kilometers and killing 13 people.
The death toll has now been confirmed to be two women, but the number is likely to be much higher as burnt houses and remote areas across the widespread damage area are investigated.
In Oklahoma, two firefighters were injured while on their way to the firefighting site. One person suffered damage from heat inhalation, and the other person was injured when a tree branch fell on a fire truck that was heading to the firefighting site with two people riding together. Both people are in a state of recovery.
The cause of the Texas fire is currently unknown. Authorities believe that strong winds, hay, and warmer-than-normal temperatures fueled the fire.
The Texas cattle industry estimates that thousands of cattle were burned to death, but they say it is not at a level that would lead to a nationwide surge in beef prices.
[스틴네트( 미 텍사스주)= AP/뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.