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Update : 6:30 p.m.
The Texas A&M Forest Service reports that the landfill fire in Potter County has burned approximately 2,570 acres and is now 40% contained.
TFS says crews are continuing to widen and strengthen containment lines, while firefighters are actively engaged in mop-up operations.
Update: 6:00 p.m.
The Randall County Sheriff’s Office reports that a grass fire that started Tuesday afternoon has been fully extinguished, and all nearby roads have reopened.
Update : 5:00 p.m.
The Amarillo Office of Emergency Management announced that the Church at Quail Creek will close as an evacuation center this evening.
Anyone in need of assistance is encouraged to call 2-1-1.
Update: 4:04 p.m.
The Randall County Sheriff’s Office is responding to a grass fire near Farmers Avenue and FM 1258. Officials are urging the public to avoid the area.
Update: 2:52 p.m.
The Amarillo Office of Emergency Management has announced it will begin a phased re-entry process for select evacuation areas starting at 3:00 p.m.
According to OEM, affected neighborhoods are divided into two categories:
Temporary Entry Access Only
(From 1061 and Ranch Rd. or 1061 and W. Ranch View Dr.)
Beginning at 3:00 p.m., residents in the following areas may be allowed limited escorted access to check property conditions, retrieve essential belongings, or assess damage before leaving again:
Bishop Estates
Bishop Ranches
Full Entry With Controlled Access
(From I-40 frontage and S. Dowell Rd.)
Beginning at 6:00 p.m., residents in the following communities may be permitted to return home under controlled access points managed by law enforcement to limit non-resident traffic and sightseers:
Two Deer Creek
Eagle Tree
Quail Canyon
Alta Vista Estates
Dripping Springs
Silver Pointe
Officials advise residents returning to these areas to be prepared for:
Law enforcement checkpoints
Designated entry points
Possible utility outages
Hazardous conditions, including debris and downed power lines
Update: Tuesday, 1:40 p.m.
Bushland Independent School District announced it will accept donated items at its Administration Building, located at 2400 Wells St. in Bushland. The district will also distribute donations to individuals and families impacted by the ongoing wildfires.
Beginning Tuesday, the administration building will serve as a drop-off and pick-up location for essential items, including clothing, water, non-perishable food, toiletries, and other necessities.
Update: Tuesday at 10 a.m.
The Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management issued an update Tuesday morning as crews continued responding to ongoing wildfire conditions across the region.
According to Amarillo OEM, emergency personnel were actively assessing conditions within evacuation zones Tuesday morning. Response teams and partner agencies continued conducting damage assessments while evaluating road access, utility restoration, and overall public safety in affected areas.
“Many residents are understandably anxious to return home, and evacuation orders will be lifted in coordination with responding agencies as soon as conditions are determined to be safe,” Amarillo OEM said in a statement.
Officials acknowledged the emotional toll the fires have taken on local families and communities.
“This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional situation for many families,” the statement said. “Every decision is being made with the safety of residents, first responders, and the community in mind. The patience, support, and compassion being shown throughout this response are deeply appreciated, and additional updates will be shared as information becomes available.”
As of 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, the following areas remained under mandatory evacuation orders:
Bishop Estates
Two Deer Creek
Eagle Tree
Qual Canyon
Bishop Ranches
Alta Vista Estates
Dripping Springs
Silver Pointe
Update: Tuesday at 8:40 a.m.
The Potter County Sheriff’s Office issued an update Tuesday morning regarding evacuation restrictions tied to ongoing wildfire activity.
According to the sheriff’s office, the Bishop Hills area remained under “extreme danger” conditions and continued to be patrolled by law enforcement as of 8:40 a.m.
Officials said areas west of Bishop Hills remained closed to public access. Residents returning to Bishop Hills were allowed entry but were required to provide proof of residency.
“Anything west of Bishop Hills is still restricted for any entrance,” officials said. “Bishop Hills can come in but will need to show that you live in that area.”
Update: Tuesday, May 19 at 6:35 a.m.
Three wildfires across the Texas Panhandle remained active and not fully contained as of Tuesday morning.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the “Stinky” Fire in Potter County, the “Hungate” Fire in Randall County, and the “Kress” Fire in Swisher County were all below 100% containment as of 6:35 a.m. Tuesday.
Update: Monday at 10 p.m.
The Potter County Sheriff’s Office reported that Bishop Estates is under mandatory evacuation. All others residents who were evacuated may return to their homes.
Officials said winds may shift around midnight so residents should be mindful of changing situations.
PCSO said everything past Bishop Hills is off limits. Residents returning to Bishop Hills must check in with a deputy.
Update: Monday at 9:15 p.m.
Texas A&M Forest Service reported that the fire in Potter County has burned about 2,000 acres and was 10% contained.
Officials said the fire is moving northeast and structure protection efforts are underway.
Update: Monday at 7:07 p.m.
Texas A&M Forest Service reported that the fire in Potter County has burned about 500 acres and is 5% contained.
Aircrafts were called in to assist ground crews and firefighters are engaged in structure protection.
Update: Monday at 7 p.m.
The city of Kress has lifted its evacuation notice and residents may return to their homes. Officials ask that residents turn off water sprinklers to conserve water.
Original post:
Strong winds across the Texas Panhandle fueled dangerous wildfires and blinding dust storms Monday afternoon, forcing evacuations, road closures and power shutoffs in and around Amarillo as emergency crews worked to contain rapidly spreading flames.
The largest fire centered near the Amarillo city landfill, where heavy smoke billowed into the sky as flames spread into nearby neighborhoods west and northwest of the city. Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for several residential areas after conditions worsened during the afternoon. Residents in Bishop Estates, Two Deer Creek, Eagle Tree, Quail Canyon, Bishop Ranches, Alta Vista Estates, Dripping Springs and Silver Pointe were told to leave immediately as the wildfire advanced northeast.
Emergency management officials said the evacuation order was upgraded from voluntary to mandatory after the fire intensified under sustained high winds. Authorities warned that roads in the area could become blocked or heavily congested as residents attempted to flee. People were urged to take medications, important documents, pets and essential supplies before leaving.
A voluntary evacuation was also announced for Bishop Hills as fire crews monitored shifting conditions. The Church at Bushland opened its doors to evacuees seeking temporary shelter and assistance.
By late afternoon, the National Weather Service warned that the wildfire had grown significantly and was moving northeast at speeds between 5 and 10 mph. Areas near Bishop Hills, Wildcat Bluff and locations northeast of Tascosa Road were identified as being at risk. Emergency officials described the wildfire as life-threatening due to rapidly changing conditions and dense smoke.
The Amarillo city landfill closed early Monday because of the high winds, and flames eventually spread beyond the facility into surrounding grasslands and neighborhoods. At least one home was destroyed as firefighters battled to keep additional structures from catching fire. Several other homes remained threatened into the evening.
Road closures added to the chaos as transportation officials shut down RM 1061, also known as Tascosa Road, from State Loop 335 to Bushland Road. Authorities asked residents to stay away from the area to allow emergency responders room to operate safely.
The Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center also began evacuating animals and staff members as the fire approached nearby areas. The center announced the emergency relocation shortly before 5 p.m.
Power outages affected parts of the Amarillo area after Xcel Energy temporarily shut off electricity in several neighborhoods because of dangerous wildfire conditions. Bishop Hills, Bishop Estates and Tascosa Hills were among the communities impacted by the precautionary outage. By late afternoon, more than 2,000 customers across Texas were without power, including roughly 1,000 customers in the Amarillo region.
Meanwhile, another wildfire broke out near Kress, north of Plainview along Interstate 27. Evacuations were underway there as well, and U.S. 87 between Tulia and Kress was closed because of fire activity. Local officials arranged buses to transport residents from the school to Claytonville as a safety measure.
The severe weather also created hazardous driving conditions throughout Randall County and neighboring areas. A dust storm warning was issued Monday afternoon for parts of the central Texas Panhandle, including Canyon and stretches of Interstate 27 between Canyon and Amarillo.
The National Weather Service reported that strong southwesterly winds kicked up large amounts of dust and ash from the Hunggate Fire burn scar, reducing visibility to near zero in some locations. Winds exceeding 50 mph pushed the dust northeastward, creating dangerous travel conditions across major roadways.
The Randall County Sheriff’s Office announced closures along FM 1714 because of near-zero visibility caused by blowing dust. Drivers were also urged to avoid areas near FM 168 between Haley Road and Jowell Road.
Forecasters warned motorists to avoid traveling through dust storms whenever possible. Safety officials advised drivers caught in heavy dust to pull off the roadway, turn off vehicle lights and avoid using the brakes to reduce the risk of collisions.
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