At least two people have died in the wildfires in Texas. Tens of thousands of cattle are estimated to have died.
The wildfire that broke out in Smokehouse Creek in northern Texas on Monday has become the largest wildfire in state history. The fire area is already more than 4,000 square kilometers wide, or about the size of Saimaa.
The wildfire that claimed at least two lives was only about 15 percent under control on Friday, the authorities said told.
The ignition and rapid spread of the wildfire were influenced by strong winds and unusual temperature readings for the season at the beginning of the week.
The fire from Smokehouse Creek, northeast of the city of Amarillo, has crossed the state line into Oklahoma. On Friday, Texas officials said it had merged with another fire area.
Smaller wildfires are also raging in the Texas area, with a total area of about 700 square kilometers. Other fires have been brought under better control.
Director of the Texas Department of Agriculture by Sid Miller tens of thousands of cattle are estimated to have died in the wildfires. The effects of fire damage for individual ranchers may become very significant, but the effects on the entire Texas cattle industry and the price of meat will remain minor, Miller estimates.
The fires are feared to spread
The state’s Republican governor Greg Abbott said Friday that wildfires raging in north Texas have destroyed up to 500 structures.
It is feared that the warming weather and stronger winds for the weekend will further expand the fire areas.
Abbott reminded Texans to be vigilant this weekend.
– Everyone must understand that as the weekend approaches, the risk of fires will increase significantly, Abbott said.
On Thursday, the president visited the US-Mexico border region in Texas Joe Biden said he had ordered federal authorities to provide all possible support to suppress the wildfires.
– When disaster strikes, states are not divided into those led by Democrats or Republicans, Biden said.
A Texas woman who lost her home in wildfires has sued the electricity company Xcel Energy. The woman accuses the company of being responsible for starting the Smokehouse Creek fire.
According to the woman, an electrical pole in poor condition, which was the responsibility of Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, fell and started the fire.
Sources: AP, Reuters