It took just four days for a spark to become the largest wildfire ever seen in Texas. The Smokehouse Creek Fire that erupted Monday had spread to roughly 1.1 million acres on Thursday, topping the 2006 East Amarillo Complex Fire, which burned 907,245 acres, per the Houston Chronicle. It has also claimed its first human victim. More:
- The size of Rhode Island: At 1.1 million acres, the area of destruction is now larger than the state of Rhode Island, per CBS News.
- 3% contained: The fire continues to rage mostly out of control. Thursday brings cooler temperatures, calmer winds, and the hope of rain, but ferocious winds are expected to return Friday and last into the weekend, per the AP.