Texas is burning

A state of emergency has been declared due to the wildfires, named 'Smokehouse Creek,' which began on February 26 in the Panhandle region in the north of the US state of Texas.

State officials stated that thousands of residents in the Panhandle have been evacuated due to the fires and that approximately 500 thousand acres of land have been affected since the fire began. Officials, noting that the fires are spreading rapidly across the region due to strong winds, reported that many roads in the area have been closed to traffic due to smoke reducing visibility.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced in a statement that he has declared a state of emergency for 60 counties due to the wildfires that have been ongoing since February 26. Abbott said, "We urge Texans to limit activities that could create sparks and to take precautions to keep their loved ones safe."

Residents in the state were asked to turn on emergency alerts on their mobile phones and to be prepared for evacuation. A major fire occurred in Texas in 2006 that destroyed more than 900 thousand acres of land. Given the current situation, it is stated that Smokehouse Creek is the second most damaging fire in the state's history.

A nuclear facility in the region was also temporarily shut down due to the fire. Firefighters are hopeful for Thursday, when lower temperatures and rain are expected.

EXTRAORDINARY TEMPERATURES IN THE US

In the US, while temperatures in February are hovering above seasonal norms, the heat wave is showing its effect from the southern regions of the country to the Canadian border.

The unseasonably high temperatures even approached 22 degrees in Illinois, one of the northernmost states in the country.

It was stated that the rapid rise in temperatures is caused by humid air and an "unusual low-pressure system" that is pulling hot air from the south of the country toward the north.

News Source: AA