The Smokehouse Creek Fire was a record-breaking wildfire affecting the northeastern Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma that started on February 26, 2024. The fire affected numerous communities in Hemphill and Roberts counties, including the town of Canadian. , the fire had burned approximately before it was successfully contained, making it the largest wildfire on record in Texas's history (going back to 1988) as well as the largest wildfire in the United States during 2024. It was one of multiple fires during an outbreak of wind-driven wildfires in the Great Plains.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire began at approximately 2:20 p.m. CST on February 26, 2024, around one mile north of Stinnett, Texas by the intersection of County Road 11 and County Road O. The cause of the fire was downed power lines due to a broken utility pole. InciWeb records an ignition time of approximately 2:20 p.m. CST, but a heat signature was visible via the GOES-18 weather satellite as early as 12:56 p.m. As the fire spread to the east, it crossed and engulfed northern portions of a stream called Smokehouse Creek, becoming its namesake. The weather conditions over northern Texas at the time were highly conducive to the spread of fires, with unusually warm temperatures and gusty conditions prevailing over the region. In return, The area scorched by the fire grew exponentially to within 12 hours of ignition as strong winds fanned the flames eastward at an extremely fast rate, reaching Roberts county by the end of the day and continuing to expand all night long.
On February 27, 2024 In the morning hours, the fire was still reported to be expanding to the east, as it crossed into Hemphill county with mandatory evacuations in the communities of Canadian and Glazier. Fire behavior was noted as extreme by firefighters for the second consecutive day and Soon after these evacuations, the Smokehouse Creek Fire jumped the state line into Oklahoma prompting more evacuations on top of unrelated fires the same day.
Following another increase in low-level winds, the fire was reported to be the second-largest Texas wildfire by the afternoon, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott's disaster declaration stated that 60 counties were affected by fast moving wildfires including the Smokehouse Creek fire. An estimated eight hundred and fifty thousand acres were scorched. By 4:00 pm CST, this number went up even more due to better mapping and was now reported to have burned with only 3% containment despite heavy firefighting efforts. It had become the largest fire in Texas state history, overtaking the East Amarillo Fort Complex Fire in 2006, which burned 907,245 acres and caused 12 fatalities in various Texas Panhandle cities. Containment rose steadily on the Smokehouse Creek fire in the coming days as fire behavior remained inside of the fire's boundaries and no growth was reported afterwards.
As of this final update in 2026 along with following inspections after the fire was fully contained, the Smokehouse Creek fire destroyed at least 30 houses in the town of Canadian, Texas, over 100 houses in Hutchinson County, TexasAnd over 500 residential buildings and businesses in total. The fire's burn scar stretched for nearly 100 miles from its origin point and was 25 to 35 Miles wide for much of the way, and at least 11,000 people were left without power following the destruction of power lines and miscellaneous infrastructure. Two fatalities, Joyce Blankenship from Stinnett, Texas, and Cindy Owens from Amarillo, Texas, have been confirmed along with 15,000 cattle killed. animals were also reportedly saved from the flames
,*An estimated 31,000 acres in Oklahoma, 1,027,000 acres in Texas*
In December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Xcel Energy to recover over $1 billion in economic damages, including property damage and the lost value of wildlife, as well as civil penalties for violations of Texas law. Trial for the lawsuit is set to begin in April 2027. Ahead of the pending trial a judge issued a temporary injunction, ordering Xcel to replace damaged wooden electric distribution poles and inspect at least 35,000 poles per year.