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Texas Wildfire Torches Over 1M Acres, Largest In State History: ‘The Losses Could Be Catastrophic’
The Daily Wire ^ | February 29, 2024 | Tim Pearce

Posted on 03/01/2024 11:24:59 AM PST by Twotone

One of several wildfires raging in the Texas Panhandle has grown to become the largest in state history.

The Smokehouse Creek fire has been burning since Monday and emergency crews have made little progress in containing it. It has so far torched over 1 million acres of land in Texas, the most by a wildfire in the history of the state, and 31,500 acres in Oklahoma, according to CNN.

The Smokehouse Creek fire is just one of several that have ripped through Texas cattle country this week. Two people have died so far in the fires. Ranchers have lost thousands of livestock with many more likely to be euthanized. Many homes and other buildings have been lost to the flames, as well.

The owners of the historic Turkey Track ranch in Texas estimate that it has lost at least 80% of its land to the wildfires.

“The loss of livestock, crops, and wildlife, as well as ranch fencing and other infrastructure throughout our property as well as other ranches and homes across the region is, we believe, unparalleled in our history,” the ranch said in a statement.

The Panhandle is home to roughly 85% of Texas’ cattle herds, supporting over 10 million head of livestock, state agriculture commissioner Sid Miller told The New York Times. Most of the cattle are kept in feedlots and dairy farms that have been largely unaffected by the wildfires, Miller said.

“There are millions of cattle out there, with some towns comprising more cattle than people,” Miller told The Wall Street Journal. “The losses could be catastrophic for those counties. Farmers and ranchers are losing everything.”

Videos of the Texas wildfires have surfaced on social media. The footage shows miles of land covered in flames and dark smoke. As of Thursday afternoon, fire officials said the Smokehouse Fire was just 3% contained.

“Most of the fuels around here are dried grass, though, in some of the drainages and stuff, you can get some heavier fuel, some trees, some brush, things like that,” Sean Dugan of the Texas A&M Forest Service told CBS News.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties on Tuesday because of the wildfires.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: cattle; texas; wildfire
Some video at the site...
1 posted on 03/01/2024 11:24:59 AM PST by Twotone
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To: Twotone

Cartels doing this to distract authorities.


2 posted on 03/01/2024 11:30:27 AM PST by jmacusa (Liberals. Too stupid to be idiots.)
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To: Twotone

It looks like the bass turds in the “media” are trying to pin this on Trump and Abbott when in all reality, the fires were probably started by alien invader campfires while they were cooking S’mores. It’s been pretty windy here.


3 posted on 03/01/2024 11:37:06 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (I know only one way to piss off the far-left RATSOs. Laugh at them.)
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To: Twotone

The unasked questions are: How did the fire start? Is this a case of arson? And if it is arson, was an illegal “visitor” involved?


4 posted on 03/01/2024 11:37:47 AM PST by elpadre (ackers.)
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To: Twotone

New arrivals beginning their attack on our food supply. These areas were prime spring grazing lands for livestock. My bet is this summer they burn our wheat, corn, soybeans, and most notably our hay stocks in the field.


5 posted on 03/01/2024 11:38:43 AM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Be careful what you say. Your refrigerator may be listening & reporting you.)
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To: Twotone

Odds are the fires started in illegal alien camps!

My heart hurts for Texas!!!

Be careful what you accept from FEMA!!!!


6 posted on 03/01/2024 11:56:30 AM PST by AuntB (Trump is our Ben Franklin - Brilliant, Boisterous, Brave and ALL AMERICAN!)
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To: Twotone

Wonder how many WETBACK ILLEGAL ALIENS it took to start that?


7 posted on 03/01/2024 11:59:14 AM PST by 5th MEB (1)
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To: Twotone

OBiden’s revenge?


8 posted on 03/01/2024 12:13:30 PM PST by ducttape45 (Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.")
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To: FlingWingFlyer

I wish I owned 5500 acres instead of 5.5.

I would offer space to cattle ranchers for their survivors.


9 posted on 03/01/2024 1:54:11 PM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: Twotone; All

Terrorism.


10 posted on 03/01/2024 2:31:51 PM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore)
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To: AuntB
This puts Abbott in an embarrassing spot where he'll be pressured to ask for Federal Emergency funds after effectively calling Biden a punk of the cartels and to leave his concertina wire alone.

So yes; a deliberate purposeful arson at the behest of the Federal government is my suspicion.

11 posted on 03/01/2024 3:25:29 PM PST by MikelTackNailer (If Biden took Trump "out back with a bike chain" he'd better have it oiled up for where it's going.)
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To: Cobra64

Talked to someone who was a summer fire fighter. They were sent from Oregon to a huge fire in Idaho. The feds arrived and told them to stand down, paid them 5000$ to camp there a couple days while the fire destroyed everything. Finally it rained. Who are the terrorists? They come in many forms- leftist pawns, illegal immigrants and perhaps, our own government. The fire fighter quit upon returning home…afraid to talk about it.


12 posted on 03/01/2024 5:20:49 PM PST by doc maverick
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