The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track global extreme or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😜
Main Topic: Plains Wildfires Are First Major U.S. Climate Crisis Horror of 2026
Dear Diary. If you have been paying attention to my record reporting that is just below all of my main daily subjects, for weeks there has been a regime of record warmth centered from the Rockies into the Plains. This spate of dry warm weather has produced conditions that are very conducive for fires, even during winter.
In colder times during the 1960s and 1970s wildfires were not seen across the Plains or practically anywhere else across the United States during the winter. Now in this age of climate change they are becoming regular eventss. The worst winter wildfire item this decade was the Palisades fire that occurred across Southern California in January 2025. Now we have Plains fires during February 2026.
Here are more details from Fox Weather (for a video that I did not repost, hit the following link):
Wildfires rage across Plains, putting 12 million people under Fire Weather Warnings | Fox Weather
12 million under Fire Weather Warnings as wildfires rage across Plains, prompting evacuations
With wind gusts up to 50 mph and relative humidity below 15%, these uncontained fires — and any new ignitions — could spread rapidly.
2/19/2026
AMARILLO, Texas – Dry conditions and gusty winds continue to fuel massive wildfires across the Plains after a powerful windstorm sparked an outbreak on Tuesday.
The fast-moving fires have forced evacuations in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, and Kansas.
In Beaver County, Oklahoma, the Ranger Road Megafire has already scorched more than 283,000 acres, and with ongoing dangerous fire weather conditions, it could continue to grow rapidly beyond the acres it has already consumed.
LIVE UPDATES: SEARCH FOR MISSING SIERRA SKIERS, FIRES RAGE IN THE PLAINS AS BLIZZARD BLASTS MIDWEST
This fire has caused at least four firefighters to be hospitalized, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.
- A major wildfire in Beaver County, OK broke out spreading to 15,000 acres. (Oklahoma Forestry Services )
Fire Weather Warnings are in effect for nearly 12 million people across much of New Mexico, far Southwest Texas and from southeast Colorado/southwest Kansas, across the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, much of Oklahoma into northwest Arkansas, and large portions of Missouri, as the conditions are expected to persist supporting the dangerous fire threat across large portions of the Southern Plains through Friday.
Active fires map (FOX Weather)
Dangerous fire weather conditions persisted Wednesday as a strengthening low-pressure system over Colorado generated strong, gusty winds across the Plains, prompting Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt to declare a State of Emergency across Beaver, Texas, and Woodward counties, which are being threatened by the Ranger Road fire.
In part, Governor Stitt stated, “The Woodward fires are about 20% contained, and we were very fortunate to keep most neighborhoods safe. A few homes were lost, and we’re keeping four injured firefighters in our prayers as they recover after working tirelessly through the night.”
Texas and Kansas activated wildfire response resources ahead of the outbreak.
The Texas County Sheriff’s Department took to Facebook on Wednesday stating that they responded to a small grassfire just east of Hooker, with Westbound 54 traffic affected and has since been put out.
On Tuesday, powerful wind gusts caused a multi-car pileup on Interstate 25 in Pueblo, Colorado, that killed five people.
Massive car pileup closes major highway in Colorado. (Colorado State Patrol / FOX Weather)
Three other wildfires started Tuesday in the Oklahoma Panhandle — the Stevens Fire has grown to about 12,400 acres, the Side Road Fire to nearly 3,700 acres, and the 43 Fire to about 1,680 acres.
In the Texas Panhandle, the Lavender Fire has burned about 12,000 acres and is roughly 20 % contained, while the 8 Ball Fire has burned about 9,000 acres and is roughly 40 % contained.
FIVE DEAD IN 30+ CAR PILEUP ON MAJOR HIGHWAY IN COLORADO AMID VICIOUS WINDS
Most of Tuesday’s evacuations have been lifted around Woodward, Oklahoma — a city with a population of about 12,000, which is being threatened by the 43 Fire.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol shut down U.S. 64 East of Forgan, as the Ranger Road fire rapidly spread.
Several Kansas towns along the Oklahoma border, including Englewood and Ashland, were threatened by the Ranger Road fire as it spread over the state line.
State officials said that all evacuation notices were lifted Wednesday in Kansas after the wildfires threatening the region have been semi-contained.
LIVE UPDATES: DEADLY STORM SPARKS RAGING WILDFIRES AND 70 MPH WINDS, BLIZZARD THREATENS THE MIDWEST
Kansas state officials closed Interstate 70 on Tuesday due to powerful blowing dust that reduced visibility, while the Kansas Department of Transportation closed U.S. Highway 50 near Garden City because of high winds that caused numerous crashes.
Lavender Fire threatens part of Potter County, Texas. (Potter County Fire-Rescue/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Mandatory evacuations were issued Tuesday in Valle de Oro, Texas, due to the Lavender fire. Firefighters in the Amarillo area are battling that blaze alongside the 8 Ball fire, which together are burning across Potter, Oldham and Armstrong counties.
Fire Weather Alerts (FOX Weather)
Millions remain under Fire Weather Warnings, including areas affected by the Ranger Road Megafire along the Oklahoma–Kansas border, as well as the Lavender and 8 Ball Fires in Texas. With wind gusts up to 50 mph and relative humidity below 15%, these uncontained fires — and any new ignitions — could spread rapidly.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
Here are some “ETs” recorded from around the U.S. the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is More Climate News from Thursday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)