Fires Consume Hundreds of Acres Across the Panhandle
Several fires raged across the panhandle area over the weekend, affecting cities and towns from Lubbock to Amarillo.
Friday, Dec. 8, more than 200 homes were threatened in northwest Amarillo. Throughout the day, three separate grass fires burned around 460 acres before eventually being put out by local firefighters.
According to Amarillo Globe-News, no one was reported injures and no homes were destroyed. The cause of those fires has still not been determined by the Amarillo Fire Marshal’s Office.
Then on Saturday, Dec. 9, Lubbock fire crews worked alongside firefighters from New Deal to battle a blaze just northeast of New Deal.
The fire was reported just before 8:00 p.m., eventually consuming a house, garage, and a vehicle near East FM 1294 and North Ash Avenue.
Evacuations were called again in Amarillo just yesterday, Dec. 10, after a grass fire was reported at 2:37 p.m. off South Western Street. Amarillo Church of Christ was apparently evacuated due to smoke in the area.
Once again, no injuries have yet been reported as fire crews put out the fire by 4:07 p.m. Amarillo-Globe News reports that over 26 fire crews and 59 firefighters were involved.
Finally, in Lubbock on Sunday, Dec. 10, a fire consumed a shed in the backyard of a home in the 4800 block of 15th Street.
Lubbock Fire Rescue quickly responded and extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshal’s Office is still investigating the scene to determine the cause.