Fort Worth firefighters battling Smokehouse Creek fire get ready to come home

First responders in the Texas Panhandle are seeing progress in containing three active wildfires, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

As per the Forest Service’s incident viewer, the state’s largest-ever fire, the Smokehouse Creek fire, is now 87% contained as of Friday afternoon. The nearby Windy Deuce fire is 92% contained, while the Grapevine Creek fire is 96% contained.

In Hutchinson County, dispatch audio captures the urgent moments when first responders realized they needed additional resources to battle a raging fire.

Firefighters from Fort Worth, located over 300 miles away, were among those who responded to the call for assistance.

Captain Cody Stilwell of the Fort Worth Fire Department recounted their arrival on the second day of the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which spread from Stinnett to Canadian, Texas. Their efforts focused on protecting buildings and facilitating evacuations as more crews arrived from across the state.

Stilwell described the initial 36 hours as challenging, marking the beginning of what would become a historic and deadly blaze, covering over a million acres.

Communities, particularly in areas like Fritch, one of the hardest hit by the fires, are grappling with the devastation and loss.

Despite the widespread destruction, Stilwell finds hope in the outpouring of support from communities across Texas and the nation. From donations of water, food, and hay for cattle, the assistance received has been remarkable, demonstrating that these communities are not facing the fires alone.