Wildfires in the US: Texas declares state of emergency

Several wildfires are keeping firefighters in the US states of Texas and Oklahoma on their toes and are threatening the local population: Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster for 60 communities on Tuesday so that aid can be centrally coordinated.

The flames are spreading quickly and are fanned by strong winds. Unusually high temperatures and dry conditions are further fueling the fires. Abbott does not expect the weather in the region to improve in the coming days. "These conditions could increase the potential for these wildfires to grow larger and more dangerous," the governor said.

According to Texas authorities, the fire has already burned around 1,500 square kilometers (580,154 square miles) of land — an area about twice the size of Hamburg. Around 4,000 households in the region are without power. There were initially no reports of deaths or injuries. Abbott called on the population to restrict any activities that could generate sparks.

The fires are also threatening a nuclear facility. US nuclear weapons are being dismantled at the Pantex facility, which is located around 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the Texan city of Amarillo. Due to the approaching flames, the plant was initially shut down and all employees were evacuated.The facility was able to open again on Wednesday.

The flames are also raging in the neighboring state of Oklahoma: Local authorities have called on those affected in the communities of Ellis and Roger Mills to leave their homes. The grasslands are also burning elsewhere in the Great Plains, including Nebraska and Kansas. Many have lost their homes.

The small Texan city of Canadian on the border with Oklahoma is particularly threatened by the flames. "It looks like the end of the world. All the trees are covered in white ash," a store owner from the town told news network CNN.

Patients from a local hospital were brought to safety. An evacuation order was also issued on Tuesday for the 2,000 residents of Canadian, but roads were closed due to the fires and the authorities advised people to stay in the city via Facebook.

Wildfires are spreading near Shattuck in Oklahoma. US media reported unusually high temperatures in the region. According to the Washington Post, temperatures there last week reached well over 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). At this time of year, temperatures are usually only around 15 degrees Celsius.