The US state of Texas issued a disaster declaration on Tuesday as widespread wildfires continued to spiral out of control, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Four fires in the northern region called the Texas Panhandle broke out on Monday and have already consumed 240,000 acres, according to state forestry officials. The largest fire was 0% contained as of Tuesday evening.
The rapid spread of the wildfires was reportedly caused by gusty winds of 40 to 60 mph (64 to 96 kph) and dry, unseasonably warm weather conditions.
5,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes, with further evacuation orders expected as the wildfires continue to spread. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties in the panhandle.
“I issued a disaster declaration today to ensure critical fire response resources are swiftly deployed to areas in the Texas Panhandle being impacted by devastating wildfires. Hot and dry conditions caused by high temperatures and windy conditions are expected to continue in the region in the coming days.”
Many roads and highways in the region have been closed due to raging fires and billows of smoke, creating almost zero visibility. Firefighters are currently fighting 13 wildfires across the state.
Fire warnings have been issued for more than 11 million Americans in the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, according to meteorologists.
