AMARILLO, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Firefighters are battling a massive wildfire in the Texas Panhandle as dry conditions and wildfire activity persist across the region.
Officials say the Hunggate Fire has now burned around 14,000 acres and is approximately 30 percent contained. Crews remain actively engaged in suppression efforts across Randall County as smoke and fire conditions continue impacting the area.
Video sent to the RFD Newsroom by Logan Marshall shows heavy smoke moving across open land near the Canyon area as firefighters work to slow the fire’s spread.
The Hunggate Fire is one of several active wildfires burning across the Texas Panhandle. State fire maps show multiple fires stretching across the region, including areas near the New Mexico-Oklahoma border.
Officials report there are currently nine active fires burning across the Panhandle.
Paul Burgener with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers joined us on Market Day Report from his home in Canyon, Texas, to provide an update on conditions across the region and the challenges communities are facing.
In his conversation with RFD News, Burgener discussed how close the fire activity is to his area and described conditions surrounding the more than two dozen fires burning across the tri-state region. He also addressed concerns from residents and producers following the destruction of the railway bridge and other infrastructure impacts tied to the wildfire outbreak.
Burgener said the fires highlight the dangers posed by extremely dry conditions, high winds, and lightning activity throughout the region. He also discussed potential impacts on agriculture and what producers may face moving forward as recovery efforts continue.
