Wildfire disaster declared for most of Texas

A disaster declaration was issued this week by the governor’s office for wildfire activity throughout the state of Texas.

Governor Greg Abbott issued the declaration on Aug. 14 for 191 counties, including Travis and Hays Counties, experiencing dangerous wildfire conditions. Additional counties may be added as conditions warrant.

'The State of Texas continues working with local officials to respond to critical wildfire activity across the entire state,' said Governor Abbott.

'As we continue to respond to wildfire conditions across the state, Texas is ready to provide any additional resources and aid to impacted communities. I commend the bravery and service of the hundreds of emergency personnel and firefighters who have swiftly responded to the wildfires to protect their fellow Texans and communities.

Texans are encouraged to remain weather-aware and heed the guidance of state and local officials.'

Last week, the Texas A&M Forest Service raised the State Preparedness Level to Level 4, which is indicative of a high volume of wildfires, including large fires and specifically, wildfires that are difficult to control.

This enabled the continued mobilization of interagency resources and the activation of incident management teams.

The forest service reported on Aug. 12 and 13 that, over the weekend, it responded to 37 new fires for a total of approximately 5,456 acres burned. According to the agency, wildfire activity is expected to continue as high temperatures and dry conditions persist. Critical fire weather is forecasted for Central and East Texas, with the risk increasing mid-week.

At the Governor’s direction, the following state firefighting resources remain deployed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management across the state in support of wildfire response operations: Texas A&M Forest Service: Firefighting personnel and heavy equipment such as bulldozers; 30 All Hazard Incident Management Team personnel; 31 aircraft; 13 Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) strike teams comprised of over 230 personnel and over 70 fire engines Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Wildland Fire Support Packages including paramedics and ambulances Texas Division of Emergency Management: Emergency response personnel to support local requests for assistance Texas Department of Transportation: Fuel and water tenders for firefighting support Texas National Guard: Blackhawks with firesuppression capability More than 95 fire departments from over 75 Texas cities have deployed to respond to wildfire ac- tivity across the state as part of TIFMAS.

Governor Abbott encouraged Texans to make an emergency plan, limit activities that may cause sparks or flames, heed warnings from officials, and keep emergency supplies easily accessible. Visit texasready.gov and tfsweb.tamu.edu for wildfire tips and safety information.