By Landee Kieschnick
TFB Communications Intern
*This story was updated 10 a.m., March 8. It was originally published on Tuesday, March 7.
Wildfires continue to burn across the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas, leaving hundreds of thousands of acres burned and livestock lost.
More than 400,000 acres have been burned so far and high winds are still in the forecast.
News reports indicate four Texans lost their lives in the fires.
Phillip Truitt, communications specialist for the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS), said the largest of the three fires was in Perryton. Spanning over Ochiltree, Hemphill and Lipscomb counties in the Texas Panhandle, the blaze has covered 315,135 acres thus far and is 65 percent contained.
TFS is currently on scene with ground resources working in conjunction with local resources. The fire has skirted south of the city of Higgins, Truitt said.
The Dumas Complex fire, located near Amarillo, is estimated at 28,800 acres and 100 percent contained. Forward progression of the fire has been stopped and crews are making good progress, the TFS reports.
The Lefors East fire, located in Wheeler County, is estimated at 135,000 acres with 75 percent containment. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire.
Extra fire equipment has been activated to extinguish the fire.
“TFS has brought up two single engine air tankers carrying around 800 gallons of fire retardant each to drop on the flames,” Truitt said.
TFS also has ground resources, including fire engines and bulldozers, actively engaged in fighting these wildfires in conjunction with local resources, he said.
Governor Greg Abbott has been involved by deploying Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid Strike Teams to assist local first responders.
“As wildfires continue to spread in the Panhandle this evening, threatening Texans and their property, I have deployed resources to the region to help combat the fires,” Abbott said in a statement on Monday. “Due to the unpredictable nature of wildfires, I encourage local residents to heed all warnings from local emergency management officials as firefighters work swiftly to contain the fires.”
Andy Holloway, Hemphill County AgriLife Extension agent who was conducting a survey of damage and loss on area ranches, said in a report for the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network that hay will be a necessity.
“There’s going to be a lot of producers who are going to need hay,” Holloway said. “So listeners who have excess hay through AgriLife, FSA and NRCS, the different government agencies, get that information to us so we can make it known for people who do need that.”
The Texas Animal Health Commission has additional information for landowners who have lost forage, or livestock, due to environmental damage. Visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/index.html to learn more about their assistance.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is also setting up supply points for those impacted.
One supply point for those impacted in Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hemphill and Roberts counties will be located at 202 W. Main St., Lipscomb. The point of contact is J.R. Sprague, AgriLife Extension agent in Lipscomb County, who can be contacted at 806-862-4601 (office) or 806-202-5288 (cell).
A second supply point serving ranchers in Gray, Wheeler and Roberts counties will be at 301 Bull Barn Drive, Clyde Carruth Expo Center, Pampa. Mike Jeffcoat, AgriLife Extension agent in Gray County, is the point of contact and can be reached at 806-669-8033 (office) or 580-467-0753 (cell).
TFS also advises landowners to visit http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/currentsituation/ for information concerning the current wildfire situation in Texas.