Wildfires sweep Southern Plains
Fast-moving wildfires driven by extreme winds, dry grass and drought conditions have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres across the Southern Plains in recent weeks, threatening ranches, forcing evacuations and affecting nearly 12 million people from New Mexico and Texas into Kansas and parts of Missouri.
While the worst of the flames have burned through northwest Oklahoma, southwest Kansas and the Texas Panhandle, individuals throughout the West are watching closely as this winter’s dry and windy weather continues to create dangerous conditions.
Explosive fires scorch the Plains
Fueled by a combination of ongoing weather and environmental conditions, Oklahoma and Kansas arguably saw the worst of the recent wildfire devastation from the most destructive blaze – the Ranger Road Fire.
Within a few short days, the fire consumed more than 283,000 acres across the Oklahoma Panhandle and into southern Kansas, earning classification as a megafire and forcing evacuations in communities along highways and rural ranch country.
According to a Feb. 20 Fox Weather article by Olivia Stephens, strong wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour and a relative humidity below 15 percent allowed flames to spread rapidly and prompted new ignitions to pop up.
The Stevens Fire, ignited northwest of Hooker, Okla., burned an estimated 12,428 acres, while the Side Road Fire scorched 3,680 acres between Hooker and Tyrone, Okla. and the 43 Road Fire consumed 1,680 acres southwest of Woodward, Okla.
In the wake of these wildfires, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2026-09 declaring a state of emergency in Oklahoma’s Beaver, Texas and Woodward counties.
“We have been very fortunate to keep most neighborhoods safe, although a few homes were lost and we’re keeping four injured firefighters in our prayers as they recover after working tirelessly through the night,” Stitt says in a Feb. 18 statement. “I’m deeply grateful for the incredible efforts of our firefighters and forestry crews on the ground.”
Additionally, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported a handful of fires blazing across the Lone Star State, including the Canadian Bridge Fire, which burned around 350 acres in Hutchinson County, Texas; the 8 Ball Fire, which burned nearly 13,563 acres across Armstrong and Donley counties; the Lavender Fire, which burned 18,423 acres across Oldham and Potter counties and the Willard Fire, which burned 540 acres in Dallam County.
As of Feb. 23, all reported fires were 100 percent contained.
Ranchers face devastating loss
Ag producers were hit especially hard, with recent wildfires destroying grazing land, fences, hay supplies and livestock infrastructure, leaving many operations struggling to recover and wondering what comes next.
Sources report some ranch families were forced to evacuate as flames approached their homes and corrals, and in heavily impacted areas, entire ranch headquarters were lost, with damages reaching into the hundreds of thousands – or even millions – of dollars.
In response, community foundations and local stockyards across Oklahoma have stepped in to coordinate hay deliveries and supply donations, while the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation established a wildfire relief fund to assist cattle producers whose operations were damaged or destroyed.
Those interested in donating can do so online at okcattlemen.org or make checks – with the memo line “Fire Relief” – payable to Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation, PO Box 82395, Oklahoma City, OK 73148.
Those willing to donate fencing supplies, feed or hay should contact the Beaver County Stockyards at 580-625-3051 or the Oklahoma State University Beaver County Extension Office at 580-625-3464.
Likewise, the Kansas Livestock Association, which can be reached at 785-273-5115, is coordinating assistance via supply donations such as fencing materials, livestock feed or hay.
The Ashland Community Foundation (ACF) is also accepting monetary donations for Kansas community members affected by fires, which can be made online at ashlandcf.org or mailed to ACF, PO Box 276, Ashland, KS 67831.
In Texas, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller declared an agricultural emergency and urged support for ranchers through the State of Texas Agriculture Relief (STAR) Fund – a private-donation-funded disaster relief program administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) which provides recovery grants to eligible farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses to help repair or rebuild damaged infrastructure.
“Texans always rise for neighbors in crisis,” Miller says. “I’m calling on individuals, businesses and groups statewide to fuel the STAR Fund to help sustain the backbone of our food, fiber and fuel supply.”
Texas ranchers who need hay and those willing to donate can also call the TDA’s Hay Hotline at 877-429-1998.
Officials underscore importance of wildfire preparedness
Although it’s relatively early in the year, officials urge individuals to keep wildfire preparedness top of mind as drought and high wind conditions persist.
Emergency planning includes assembling evacuation kits, identifying livestock relocation options and maintaining defensible space around homes and buildings.
Removing dry vegetation near structures, cleaning debris from roofs and gutters and spacing trees and shrubs can help reduce fire intensity.
Producers are also en-couraged to stay informed through emergency alerts, weather updates and local emergency management agencies. Rapid response to early warnings can make all the difference in protecting livestock and property.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
