February 27-28, 2024 -- Smokehouse Creek Fire in Texas

By Christina Maxouris, Elizabeth Wolfe, Eric Zerkel and Mary Gilbert, CNN

Updated 2:04 a.m. ET, February 29, 2024

What we covered here

A massive wildfire is tearing through the Texas Panhandle and part of Oklahoma, destroying homes and forcing residents to evacuate. Meanwhile, several other wildfires are burning nearby. At least one person in Texas has died as the result of the fires, an official has said.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire has scorched more than 850,000 acres of land in Texas and another 31,000 acres in Oklahoma since igniting Monday afternoon and is 3% contained, according to state forest services. It's now the second-largest fire in Texas state history.
The extent of the damage from the fires is still being assessed, but homes had burned in Oklahoma and at least two Texas towns. One Hemphill County, Texas, official said "homes have burned in almost every direction."
Parts of multiple Texas counties were ordered evacuated Tuesday or told to shelter-in-place as the fire encroached on populated areas.

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7:42 p.m. ET, February 27, 2024

Smokehouse Creek Fire already 5th largest in state history -- and growing

From CNN's Christina Maxouris and Brandon Miller

The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which had scorched at least 250,000 acres by Tuesday afternoon, already ranks as the fifth largest wildfire in Texas history, according to records from the Texas A&M Forest Service.

And it's burned more land than all of the state's fires in 2023 combined, according to information from the forest service.

The fire began at roughly 2:20 p.m. on Monday, according to fire authorities. It scorched through 250,000 acres in just 28 hours -- meaning it burned a staggering average of nearly 9,000 acres per hour, or roughly 150 acres per minute.

"That is the size of two football fields per second," CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers said Tuesday.

6:11 p.m. ET, February 27, 2024

Several evacuation orders issued as Texas wildfires rage

From CNN's Mary Gilbert and Joe Sutton

An out-of-control wildfire is threatening Texas Panhandle towns and forcing residents to evacuate.

Various evacuations were ordered throughout the day on Tuesday. Here's where they are in effect:

Parts of Hemphill and Roberts Counties, including the town of Canadian, Texas, around an hour and a half northeast of Amarillo, Texas.
City officials said that parts of Fritch, Texas, including both Roberts and Hutchinson Counties, are also under an evacuation order.
Some residents in Lipscomb County in the Texas Panhandle "near Glazier and the feed yard" have been asked to leave, the Lipscomb County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook.
Evacuations are in place for the town of Double Diamond, according to Moore County Emergency Management Coordinator Tommy Brooks. There is a fire burning at Lake Meredith, which is in the southern portion of the county, Brooks said.

Millions of people in the south-central US are also under red flag warnings Tuesday as springlike warmth, gusty winds and dry air create dangerous fire weather.

5:45 p.m. ET, February 27, 2024

Authorities recommend residents shelter in place in the Texas Panhandle city of Canadian

From CNN’s Joe Sutton

Authorities in Hemphill County, Texas, are recommending residents in the city of Canadian shelter in place due to the ongoing wildfire threat.

"We recommend sheltering in place in Canadian at this time. The high school gym in Canadian will be open soon if anyone is traveling though and needs shelter," the Hemphill County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon in a Facebook post.

The sheriff’s office has shut down US Route 60 and US Route 83 South — a key route for the city.

In a post earlier, the county emergency management issued a mandatory evacuation and asked residents to “LEAVE NOW.”

Canadian is more than 100 miles northeast of Amarillo.

6:54 p.m. ET, February 27, 2024

Smokehouse Creek Fire explodes to 200,000 acres

From CNN’s Joe Sutton

Wildfires burn northwest of Canadian, Texas. Courtesy Miguel Lira/Booker Grocery Cafe & Catering

The largest wildfire burning in the Texas Panhandle has exploded to 200,000 acres Tuesday afternoon, according to the latest update from the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire, located in Hutchinson County, has been not contained.

“Things are chaotic at the moment," Stinnett City Clerk Kellie Scherer told CNN.

Scherer went on to say she knows of at least one house that has been hit by the fire and that they've had fires before but those haven't had any come through the town "since 1991 or 92."

Stinnett is located in Hutchinson County and is northeast of Lake Meredith.

CNN’s Sarah Engel contributed to this report.

6:28 p.m. ET, February 27, 2024

At least 4 dangerous wildfires are burning in the Texas Panhandle — scorching more than 280,000 acres

From CNN’s Joe Sutton

A wildfire is seen burning in Lefors, Texas, on Tuesday. KFDA

There are at least four growing and dangerous wildfires burning across the Texas Panhandle as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer.

The fires have sparked evacuation orders for communities in the region.

The four fires have charred more than 280,000 acres.

Here are where the wildfires are and the containment statuses:

Smokehouse Creek Fire:

Hutchinson County
250,000 acres
0% contained

Windy Deuce Fire:

Moore County
8,000 acres
20% contained

Grape Vine Creek Fire:

Gray County
30,000 acres
20% contained

Juliet Pass Fire

Armstrong County
2,963 acres
90% contained

NOTE: Some of these fires are crossing over into other counties causing impacts.