Rapidly expanding wildfires in the Texas Panhandle prompt evacuations

CANADIAN, Texas — A fast-spreading wildfire in Texas doubled in size Tuesday and prompted evacuation orders in at least one small town as strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm temperatures fueled the blaze in the state’s rural panhandle.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties as the largest fire destroyed more than 780 square miles, according to the Texas A.&M Forest Service. That is more than twice as large as since the fire broke out on Monday. Authorities have not said what might have caused the fire, which tore through sparsely populated provinces surrounded by rolling plains.

“Texans are urged to limit activities that could cause sparks and take precautions to keep their loved ones safe,” Abbott said.

The largest fire, known as the Smokehouse Creek Fire, closed highways and remained 0% contained as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Forest Service.

Multiple fires were reported in Hemphill and Hutchinson counties, near the Oklahoma border. Texas Sen. Kevin Sparks said an evacuation order has been issued for the town of Canadian, a town of about 2,000 people about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Amarillo, and other areas.

The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings and fire danger warnings for several other states in the center of the country as high winds exceeding 40 mph combined with warm temperatures, low humidity and dry winter vegetation make conditions ripe. for forest fires.

In central Nebraska, a mower sparked a prairie fire that has burned a huge swath of grassland about the size of the state’s largest city, Omaha, state officials said Tuesday.