Huge wildfire grows to become largest in history of Texas

Charred tree trunks (AP Photo/David Erickson)

A wildfire spreading across the Texas Panhandle has become the largest in state history, as a dusting of snow covered scorched grassland, dead cattle and burned out homes and gave firefighters a brief respite amid desperate efforts to control the blaze.

The Smokehouse Creek fire has grown to nearly 1,700 square miles. It merged with another fire and is just 3% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.