Early Wednesday afternoon, MyHighPlains.com reported, “Officials in Borger are reporting evacuations are underway on the second wildfire East of Borger in the area of FM 1059 and FM 280.”
MyHighPlains also reported FM 1059 in Hutchinson County was closed from SH 280 to SH 152 due to a wildfire.
Early in the evening, the Facebook page for KAMR in Amarillo reported the following three messages:
- Officials say that citizens can evacuate to the Baptist Church in White Deer.
- DPS is evacuating the Pampa hospital. They are moving patients to the MK Brown Center.
- From the Gray County Emergency Manager: Immediate evacuation of Walnut Creek and Kentucky near Northwest Pampa.
The Texas Department of Transportation said early Wednesday afternoon, “US 287 between Claude and SH 70 near Goodnight is closed in both directions due to a wildfire, which is contributing to numerous crashes on the roadway.”
TxDOT also said, “Southbound US 287 traffic is being diverted at Claude to IH-40, and northbound US 287 traffic is being detoured to IH-40 via north SH 70.”
Fire weather watches had been issued throughout the region including Lubbock for high winds and dry conditions.
The West Texas Mesonet reported many gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour in some West Texas communities on Wednesday. At the time of this report, the highest gust in Lubbock was reported at 39 miles per hour.
TxDOT released the following statement Wednesday afternoon:
Wildfires across the Panhandle have closed several roads in the Childress and Amarillo Districts.
CLOSED
- I-40 in Wheeler County is closed between reference markers 152 and 153, due to the fire crossing the roadway.
- SH 592 is currently closed from SH 152 south for 2 miles due to a wildfire in Wheeler that is going across the roadway. TxDOT flaggers are in place to turn traffic around.
- US 287 between Claude and SH 70 near Goodnight is closed in both directions due to a wildfire, which is contributing to numerous crashes on the roadway. Southbound US 287 traffic is being diverted at Claude to IH-40, and northbound US 287 traffic is being detoured to IH-40 via north SH 70.
- FM 1059 between SH 280 and SH 152 is closed due to a wildfire east of Borger.