Two people have died in wildfires across Texas panhandle

Counties such as Moore County have had 142,000 acres burned. 

Published: March 1, 2024 7:49am

Updated: March 1, 2024 8:11am

Two people have died in connection with wildfires across the Texas Panhandle that also have burned over 1 million acres of land as of Friday, according to news reports.  

One active blaze is the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest on record in the state, according to CNN. 

The deceased have been identified as Joyce Blankenship, 83, and truck driver Cindy Owen. 

Blankenship died when her home in Henderson County caught fire, and Owen died in Henderson County. 

The Texas A&M Forest Service says the fires in Hutchinson County has burned 1,075,000 acres, according to Fox 4 News.

Moore County has had 142,000 acres burned. 

The fire are reportedly still just 3% contained and have spread to Oklahoma.

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