TEXAS, USA — Texas A&M Forest Service - Incident Information provided an update Friday afternoon of wildfire activity that are affecting more than 1.1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle.
The Southern Area Blue, Complex Incident Management Team, began helping in unified command with the Texas A&M Forest Service, the National Park Service and impacted county judges, in managing the Smokehouse Creek, Windy Deuce and Grape Vine Creek fires at 6 a.m. Friday.
Two crews from the San Angelo Fire Department traveled to the Panhandle this week to help fight the wildfires. A Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department members was also deployed to the area.
Engine crews will continue to strengthen control lines and mop-up along the perimeter of the Smokehouse Creek Fire. Seven dozers will help ground personnel and continue to construct fire lines where needed. Primary efforts are holding the lines on the north perimeter of the fire as southwest winds may push any growth to the northeast.
At the Windy Deuce Fire, dozer and engine crews are continuing to construct and strengthen lines along the perimeter of the fire, mopping up hot spots near the lines.
The Grape Vine Creek Fire is unstaffed but has a branch director assigned and monitoring is continuing. Suppression resources moved north to help on the Smokehouse Creek Fire, but are available to respond to this incident if needed.
Smokehouse Creek, Windy Deuce and Grape Vine Creek fires, as of March 1:
Smokehouse Creek Fire
- Current size: 1,075,000 Acres
- Current containment: 15%
- Location: Origin 1 mile north of Stinnett
- Start date: Feb. 26, 2024
- Cause: Under investigation
Resources assigned
- Total personnel: 108
- Engines: 29
- Dozers: 7
Windy Deuce Fire
- Current size: 142,000 acres
- Current containment: 55%
- Location: Masterson to Fritch City
- Start date: Feb. 26, 2024
- Cause: Under investigation
Resources assigned
- Total personnel: 34
- Engines: 7
- Dozers: 2
Grape Vine Creek Fire
- Current size: 30,000 acres
- Current containment: 60%
- Location: Southwest and east of Lefors
- Start date: Feb. 26, 2024
- Cause: Under investigation
Resources assigned
- Total personnel: 1 branch director
The weather outlook for the weekend calls for a drying trend that will dissipate the traces of snowfall from Thursday. High temperatures in the lower 70s with winds from the southwest ranging from 10-20 mph. Relative humidity will drop into the mid-teens.
Fire has the potential to move at 1-2 mph and burn 250-500 acres an hour if a spot fire occurs. These conditions will set up a fire weather watch starting at noon Saturday. Weekend winds will be strong with gusting up to 40 mph. Low relative humidity over the weekend will range from 9-11 percent with temperatures rising to the mid-70s.
Major closures: No road closures are in place at this time. Please check local sheriffs’ offices websites for the most current roads update.
Burn bans: Texas counties with burn bans: tfsweb.tamu.edu/TexasBurnBans/
Fire information line: 806-370-2179 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Inciweb:
- Smokehouse Creek: inciweb.nwcg.gov/inci.../txtxs-smokehouse-creek-fire
- Windy Deuce: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident.../txtxs-windy-deuce-fire
- Grape Vine Creek: inciweb.nwcg.gov/inci.../txtxs-grape-vine[1]creek-fire
- Facebook: facebook.com/AllHazardsTFS