A 14,000-plus acre fire began in Canyon after a potential rain storm brought only wind and lightning strikes which caused multiple fires to start around FM 1714 and Hunggate Road Thursday evening. The fire then began to travel down Soncy Road as the smoke spread.
As an emergency, a mandated evacuation was ordered to residents in that area who were told to go to Cole Community Center in Canyon.
By Friday morning, the fire was listed at 30 percent contained but still at 14,000 acres consumed and all evacuation orders had been lifted, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Juan Rodriguz, a Texas A&M Forestry Service PIO, said the multiple fires combined into one and threatened many people in Canyon who evacuated to Cole Community Center.
“The head of the fire was stopped around 9:30 p.m.,” said Rodriguez. “The fire was heading south when a wind change caused it to go southwest, traveling to the Chaparral development off 13th Avenue and Brown Road. The powerful wind also pushed smoke into Amarillo, causing concern for residents, not only in South Amarillo, but around the city.”
Rodriguz said it was not known how many structures were damaged as of Friday morning, but no lives were lost. Reports will be coming in later this afternoon, he said.
The many fire emergency services responding to the fires included Texas A&M Forestry services, Canyon and Amarillo Fire Departments, Randall and Potter County fire departments, Motley, Hereford, Happy and Hartley Volunteer Fire Departments along with Lake Tanglewood Volunteer Fire department. Rodriguez said that air drops were also utilized to fight the flames.
Over two dozen fires broke out in multiple states including Eastern New Mexico and Kansas.
More information will be presented after the damage is accessed, according to Rodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Crews assess damage after Hunggate fire prompts evacuations near Canyon
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
