AMARILLO, Texas — Officials are reporting multiple wildfires in the Panhandle and other smaller fires throughout the state as Texas experiences historic fire conditions. 

The Windmill Fire in Roberts County, located in the northern part of the Texas Panhandle, has burned over 18,000 acres and is 50% contained as of 7 p.m. on Friday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. 

The fire previously closed Highway 70 in both directions, but it has since reopened. It blew past Highway 281, and the high winds continue to move the fire east. The fire continues to move towards Highway 83.

Another fire has also sparked in the Panhandle. The Rest Area Fire is in Gray County, just east of Amarillo, and is estimated to have burned over 3,000 acres and is 30% contained. 

 

According to the forest service, the community of Alanreed was under a mandatory evacuation because of the fire.

Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley declared a local state of disaster due to the severe weather, fires and public safety power shutoffs. The declaration stays in effect for seven days, unless it is extended by the Amarillo City Council.

"This declaration is an important step in ensuring Amarillo has the support and flexibility needed to respond to ongoing emergency conditions. Please continue to follow official updates and stay weather aware," a post on Facebook said. 

 

Some smaller fires have sparked across the state but have been mostly contained as high winds and dry weather created what the National Weather Service has called “near historic” conditions for wildfires.

 

More than half of Texas’ 245 counties had burn bans in place because of the dangerous fire conditions. The weather service in Lubbock posted a video Friday morning on X of wind whipping thick dust across the road as one of its employees drove to work.

“This is likely to be the worst dust storm so far this year,” said Randall Hergert, a lead forecaster with the weather service in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

These most recent wildfires come just a little over a year after the largest wildfire in Texas history, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, sparked in the Panhandle and burned over 1 million acres starting Feb. 26, 2024. The cause of the fire was a decaying power pole, which snapped and burnt the dry grass around it.

The Windmill Fire is in the same area as the Smokehouse Creek Fire.

For updated information on the wildfires across the state, head to the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer.