Light rain and snow are expected in the area but meteorologists don’t expect the precipitation will provide significant help to quell the fire.
Hugh Lively sifts Thursday through the remains of his sister's home in Canadian, which was destroyed by the Smokehouse Creek wildfire.Texas firefighters on Thursday struggled to contain a series of wildfires in the Panhandle that have now engulfed more than 1 million acres of land and crossed into Oklahoma — an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, making the fire the largest in Texas history.
The Smoke Creek fire was followed by a second one in Moore County, located 35 miles west of Hutchinson County, which has burned through 142,000 acres of land. Unusual weather has played a role in the wildfires. Warm temperatures and high winds pushed the fires through the region, followed by a cold front that moved them more.
Meteorologists don’t expect the precipitation will provide significant help to quell the larger fires. However, the cooling temperatures “will create easier conditions on the ground” for firefighters working to prevent the fire from intensifying and spreading, said Samuel Scolari, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo. Temperatures will reach the low 70s Friday and the climate will be hot and dry, an environment that will help the fires persist in the area, Scolari said.
Officials are still assessing the damage in Fritch but said some structures have been lost in the fire. They are hoping to take advantage of the snow, in hopes it can control the spread before dry, windy conditions return this weekend.
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