North Texas firefighters are helping fight the largest wildfire in Texas history this week as the Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Panhandle continues to burn.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire, which started Monday in Hutchinson County, covered an estimated 1,075,000 acres on Thursday, making it the largest wildfire in Texas history, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The fire was 3% contained as of Thursday morning with increased wildfire potential expected over the weekend.
For the hundreds of firefighters working to contain tens of thousands of acres, the shifts are long.
Three firefighters with Flower Mound Fire Department’s Wildland Team headed to the Texas Panhandle earlier this week and worked a 23-hour shift with their crew.
They watched as the fire shifted from its initial 40,000 acres to 500,000 acres in two days, according to a Facebook post by the Flower Mound Fire Department.
The crew helped evacuate residents in a neighborhood near Canadian while houses were on fire.
Fifteen Fort Worth Fire Department firefighters were also sent out this week and will be there roughly two weeks.
The firefighters were deployed with the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System and Texas A&M Task Force 1 and 2.
Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, also known as TIFMAS, is maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service, which mobilizes systems to make statewide use of local resources. Texas A&M Task Force 1 and 2 are urban search and rescue teams.
David Boots, the public information officer for the Denton Fire Department, said five firefighters were en route to the Panhandle on Thursday. Four are with TIFMAS and one with the Texas A&M Task Force 2.
The Denton firefighters join crews from Justin, Wichita Falls, West Wichita Falls, and San Angelo, the department said in a Facebook post. The strike team will assist TIFMAS resources along with the Texas Forestry Service and is expected to be deployed for up to two weeks.
Dallas Fire-Rescue sent 12 department personnel this week to supply specialized personnel, spokesperson Jason Evans said in a statement. Three were EMS, one Wildland FF and eight with Texas A&M Task Force for logistical support.
Texas wildfires are not exclusive to the hot summer months.
In recent years the state’s wildfire season has shifted from distinct seasons to becoming a year-round event due to changes in climate and land use.
The dormant season, which runs from January to May, has seen most of the large, high-impact wildfires in recent Texas history.
One contributor of wildfire activity during the dormant season includes widespread, freeze cured grasses and timing of spring green up, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
In the dormant season, the grass browns. Peak fire activity typically occurs mid-February through mid-April.
