Destructive and deadly wildfires broke out in the Plains on Monday and grew quickly in size, forcing thousands to evacuate and contributing to the deaths of four people. The fires were fanned by strong winds on the western side of the same storm system that spawned an outbreak of severe storms in the Midwest. Parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and the Texas Panhandle were the hardest hit by the wildfires which were so intense and large that they could be spotted by satellites.
Here’s what happening in each state right now. In Kansas, wildfires have burned about 625 square miles of land and killed one person. The Kansas Highway Patrol said tractor-trailer driver Corey Holt, of Oklahoma City, was killed Monday when his rig jackknifed as he tried to backup because of poor visibility on highway 34 in Clark County, which is on Kansas’ southern border with Oklahoma. He succumbed to smoke after getting out of his vehicle. READ MORE
