Texas largest wild fire in history

The second-largest wildfire ever documented in Texas raged through the state’s panhandle alongside several other significant blazes, prompting evacuations, closures of schools, and a temporary halt to operations at the nation’s primary nuclear weapons facility.

Starting on Monday, the fires rapidly grew on Tuesday, propelled by strong winds, arid conditions, and record-breaking temperatures across the nation. By Wednesday morning, the largest fire, known as the Smokehouse Creek Fire, had spread across more than 500,000 acres – roughly 800 square miles – spanning two counties and extending into neighboring Oklahoma. The scale of the Smokehouse Creek Fire, covering an area exceeding half the size of Rhode Island, places it among the largest wildfires ever observed in Texas. It ranks second only to the 2006 Amarillo East Complex fires, which claimed 12 lives and devoured over 900,000 acres.