In the Texas Panhandle, the Eightball Fire in Armstrong County has burned roughly 9,000 acres and sits at 25% containment. The Lavender Fire in Oldham County covers a similar footprint at just 10% containment. Both fires are being fought under unified command with resources from the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System. Relative humidity near the fires has hovered around 12–14%, with winds running 25–45 mph. Howardwick was placed under evacuation notice and multiple highways closed in both directions.

Across the state line in Oklahoma, fires near Woodward and Beaver County prompted evacuations as far north as Liberal, Kansas. In western Kansas, two firefighters from the Ashland area were overcome by fire and smoke and are now receiving treatment at a Wichita hospital. High winds grounded air tankers during active fire runs.

Thirty-two North Texas fire departments — roughly 100 personnel from Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Keller, and others — deployed west under TIFNAS to assist. The Texas A&M Forest Service is coordinating the Texas response.

Freeze-cured grass, low relative humidity, and strong winter winds produce critical fire weather conditions across the Southern Plains from late fall through early spring.

When containment is achieved and investigators move in, Echospectra’s field documentation tools help origin and cause teams capture indicators, photo evidence, and spatial data from day one — building defensible case files before the scene degrades.

Sources

32 North Texas fire departments deploy to battle wildfires in Panhandle — FOX 4

8 Ball Fire in Texas Panhandle estimated at 7,000 acres and 0% containment — MyTexasDaily

Two firefighters injured in western Kansas wildfire receiving treatment in Wichita — KWCH

Oklahoma wildfires map — Woodward and Beaver County — KOCO