A rapidly spreading Texas wildfire has killed one person, forced residents to evacuate, cut off power to homes and businesses, and briefly paused operations at a nuclear facility.

In Hutchinson County, one of the hardest-hit areas, public engagement coordinator Deidra Thomas told CNN one person had died in the blazes.

There are five active wildfires in the state, according to the forest service, each burning tens of thousands acres, melting light posts and reducing buildings to a charred skeleton.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire has caused several towns, a neighbourhood in the city of Amarillo, and other communities to evacuate, according to the forest service and local law enforcement.

The Potter County sheriff's office, which includes Amarillo, issued an announcement on Facebook on Wednesday, warning residents of the possibility of a mandatory evacuation.

Concerns about the spreading fire north of the Pantex nuclear weapons site in Amarillo forced the facility to temporarily close and evacuate staff on Tuesday night.

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