SAN ANGELO, Texas — As of Wednesday morning, Texas A&M Forest Service lists the record-breaking Smokehouse Creek Fire as 89% contained. However, the organization advised that there continues to be an extreme wildfire danger in the affected areas.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Disaster Assessment and Recovery Program Director Monty Dozier said heavy winds and dry land in the area have led to an increased risk for fires. Dozier said seasonal grasses have not yet begun to grow, leaving cattle without key supplements for grazing and contributing to a lack of ground moisture throughout the Panhandle.
He said the organization looks to finish initial recovery efforts within six-to-eight weeks since their beginning. In the meantime, the organization is directing people to places they can donate money and supplies. In addition to destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of viable farmland, the fire killed thousands of cattle.
"Those livestock producers have lost all the grazing potential in that impact zone," Dozier said. "Many of them have lost fencing structure. Some of them have lost their hay supply that they had put away to feed the cattle."
Dozier said he had visited the panhandle earlier in the week. He acknowledged the ongoing risk for large fires due to current conditions.
"The day before (he came back from the Panhandle), bigger fires were being contained but we had a couple of small fires pop up," he said. "They were taken care of, but if we have a small fire pop up on critical fire days with that wind blowing like it is, it could become large in a hurry."
Dozier said fencing supplies is a significant need for ranchers affected by the fires.