Texas Sees 'Dead Animals Everywhere' as Thousands Die in Fire

Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas recently surveyed the damage caused by the wildfires in his state and gave a distressing report on their impacts on animals.

Widespread wildfires consuming thousands of acres began on Monday throughout the state. The Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest of the blazes, has since grown to scorch nearly 1 million acres, CNN reported. At least one person has been killed. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has since issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties in the state.

Thousands of livestock have died as the fires continue to rage. More than 85 percent of the state's livestock lives in the Texas Panhandle, where the fires are burning, according to CNN.

Jackson said the damage is much more extreme than has been revealed so far.

"I had an opportunity to get in a helicopter today and fly around several different counties and assess the damage myself," he said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday afternoon.

Jackson went on: "I can tell you that the damage is much worse than is being reported. There are literally hundreds of structures that are burned to the ground—houses, barns. There are dead animals everywhere—cattle, horses. Unfortunately, there are many animals that are seriously burned that aren't dead yet that will have to be put down."

Jackson represents Texas' 13th Congressional District, which includes the Texas Panhandle. Newsweek reached out to Jackson's press office by email for comment.

On Wednesday, heartbreaking videos of animals fleeing the flames were shared on social media.

The Texas Animal Health Commission warned on Tuesday that natural disasters can affect animals just as much as people. A commission spokesperson previously told Newsweek that livestock damage assessments will take place when it is safe to do so. Ranchers can help mitigate animal loss by allowing for animal movement, such as opening gates, cutting fences or herding livestock into lower-risk areas, the spokesperson said.

"However, once an area is evacuated producers should not return until authorities deem the area safe," the spokesperson added. "Communicating with neighbors, first responders and other local responders is key when managing animal supplies and needs."

In the video shared Wednesday, Jackson said many Texans living in the Panhandle have lost everything.

"They've lost their homes, their animals, their vehicles," he said, adding that many of those affected don't have the resources or insurance to cover the losses.

Jackson shared some videos of the damage in a follow-up post. Some of the structures were still smoldering as he flew over the region.