In the Texas Panhandle, the largest wildfire in the state’s history has consumed roughly 500 structures, and cattle ranchers have been especially hit hard, possibly losing thousands from their herds.
The blaze is only about 37 percent contained. The Smokehouse Creek Fire has already claimed two lives and destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings, consuming nearly 1.3 million acres. Many residents have had to flee for their lives.
“I had to leave and then had to drive through fire to get out of there. I was going to die,” said homeowner Stacy Mcfol.
Satellite images have captured the billows of smoke from the blazes fueled by high winds and dry conditions. The fires moved so fast that ranchers had little time to get their cattle to safety. Thousands of cows were killed. In Skellytown, workers had the grim task of moving dozens of dead animals.
“We have about 1,000 cattle, as you can see behind us, we’re picking up ‘deads’ today,” said Chance Bowers, X-Cross-X Ranch operator. “By the time it’s all said and done we’re going to have lost probably 200 to 250 head, and that’s just cows. We were right in the middle of calving season. I’ve spent the
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