YOAKUM COUNTY, Texas – First responders in Yoakum County confirmed information Tuesday afternoon about a large fire moving quickly throughout the area. By Tuesday night, the Yoakum County Sheriff’s Office provided an update, saying, “Plains VFD has advised the fire is 100% contained on both sides of the state line.”

A Yoakum County dispatcher said multiple structures had already been taken out by the fire, and residents that live in an area from the Cochran County line to County Road 220 were asked to evacuate.

According to the Yoakum County Sheriff’s Office, as of 5:14 p.m., there was no immediate threat to the City of Plains.

At 6:35 p.m., YCSO lifted the request for voluntary evacuations and said those affected could return home with caution.

According to Plains Volunteer Fire Department, there were still multiple fires in the immediate areas surrounding Northwest Yoakum County at 6:35 p.m.

The National Weather Service said the large wildfire started at approximately 2:30 p.m. in North Lea County, New Mexico, and has rapidly spread into Northwest Yoakum County.

NWS also said the fire has an approximate length of 12 miles.

A red flag warning from the NWS remained in effect since 10:00 a.m. Tuesday for strong winds and low relative humidity for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and Extreme Southern Texas Panhandle.

“Any fires that develop can spread rapidly…Fire control on Tuesday will likely be very difficult to impossible,” the NWS said.

Christopher Graham with the Texas A&M Forest Service said a fire in Cochran County, around SH-214 and the FM 1585 area, has spread across 200 acres and is not contained.

Forest Service has one engine and two dozers working on the Cochran County fire, and as of 5:45 p.m., there were numerous volunteer fire department’s from across the area trying to get it extinguished. 

As for the Yoakum County fire, Graham said the A&M Forest Service resources were coming in from Childress to help.