An outbreak of wildfires fueled by dry conditions and hurricane-force winds was rapidly spreading across the Texas Panhandle and parts of Oklahoma on Friday, prompting evacuations, wreaking havoc on the roads and leaving thousands without power.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center warned of "near historic" fire conditions in the Plains.

Climate researchers said the ingredients are in place for a wildfire threat North Texas hasn't seen in at least 10 years. One Fort Worth neighborhood remembers the threat of fire well. It had to be evacuated during the 2023 fire.