Houston area firefighters help battle large wildfires burning across North Texas

Several Houston-area firefighters are in North Texas helping battle wildfires.

On Wednesday, strong wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph helped spread at least three major fires north of Amarillo.

"These fires can get real big, real quick," said Justin Huddleston, a Wildland Coordinator for HFD. 

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As of late Wednesday evening, the North 207 fire in Carson County was estimated to be 15,000 acres in size and 2% contained. Small towns nearby have been ordered to evacuate.

The Houston area strike team arrived to the Texas panhandle late last week for other wildfires. On Wednesday, crews were staged nearby as the fire danger increased with the strong winds.

The Houston-area strike team firefighter members are from Houston, Webster, Galveston, Baytown, Eastex Fire, and Conroe. The same team helped with recovery efforts in Louisiana following Hurricane Ida last summer.

"Disasters don’t wait for the holidays to be over to call," said Huddleston. "Being a member of the team, that’s the commitment they make. Hopefully they will be back by the holidays, but there’s no guarantee."

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The same weather system that caused wildfires Wednesday in North Texas also created severe weather in the Midwest. Several states experienced tornado watches and warnings Wednesday.

According to Huddleston, the Houston-area strike team has been helping crews battle the Parker Creek fire located Northwest of Amarillo. The Parker Creek fire is estimated to be 3,500 acres in size and is 25% contained.

"I hope these guys can really get a handle on that fire, keep it from getting too big," said Huddleston. [Hopefully they can] prevent a loss of property and homes."