A powerful tornado struck northern Texas on Saturday night, killing at least two people, as extreme weather continued to wreak havoc across the US south and midwest, with wildfires also raging in parts of Georgia.
Tornado Devastation in Texas
Officials in Wise County, Texas, reported that the storm hit around 10 p.m., causing significant damage across multiple neighborhoods. In addition to the confirmed deaths, six people were treated or transported by emergency responders for storm-related injuries. “Access has been difficult due to blocked roadways and downed utilities, but crews have continued pushing forward to reach those in need,” said Wise County Judge JD Clark during a Sunday morning press briefing. Initial reports indicate that at least 20 families have been displaced and many homes sustained major damage.
The National Weather Service has warned that severe weather is likely to continue in the coming days, with flash flooding possible.
Oklahoma Also Hit
Storms have battered the central US over the past week, with more than 30 tornadoes and over 230 reports of hail, according to AccuWeather. At least 10 people were injured after a massive tornado struck northern Oklahoma on Thursday night. Approximately 40 homes were damaged, and light damage was reported at a nearby air force base. No fatalities were confirmed. Videos shared online captured the tornado's strength as debris was sucked into the rapidly rotating column of air.
Residents across the plains are bracing for more severe weather. “People in towns from Oklahoma to Kansas and northwestern Missouri should prepare for storms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts over 70 mph,” said Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. “Tornadoes that strike after dark or are wrapped in rain are especially dangerous because they can be nearly impossible to see. Everyone in the region should be ready to act quickly and have multiple ways to receive warnings and alerts that can wake you overnight.”
Wildfires Rage in Georgia
In southeast Georgia, two massive wildfires had burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed 120 homes by Sunday morning, after raging for days amid drought conditions. The Highway 82 fire, burning since April 20, has destroyed at least 87 homes. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp confirmed that the fire was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines. As of Sunday afternoon, the fire had grown to 20,933 acres and was only 7% contained.
“We’ve got the two most dangerous, biggest, problematic fires anywhere in the United States within just a very small area that we’re having to fight,” Kemp said during a Friday news conference. According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Highway 82 fire has caused the most significant home loss from a single wildfire in the state’s history.
The second fire, the Pineland Road fire, started over the weekend on mostly private forest land near the Georgia-Florida state line. It began when someone was welding their gate, and sparks ignited undergrowth. The Pineland Road fire has burned through 31,976 acres and was 10% contained as of Saturday.
Firefighters have been battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida, sending smoky haze into distant areas and triggering air quality warnings for some cities. Scientists attribute the heightened fire threat to extreme drought, gusty winds, the climate crisis, and dead trees left by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
