Wildfire Danger Prompts State to Preposition Resources in West Texas
AUSTIN, TX – Governor Greg Abbott Tuesday announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas A&M Forest Service, and the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) have prepositioned resources in response to an elevated to critical risk of wildfires in the Panhandle, Western Plains, Trans Pecos, and the South Texas Plains. These areas of Texas are experiencing significantly warm, dry, and windy conditions that are expected to remain through Thursday and pose serious risk of wildfires that could grow beyond containment.
The majority of wildfires in Texas are caused by humans, and TDEM and the Texas A&M Forest Service urge Texans to be mindful of any outdoor activity that may cause a spark. Texans should pay attention to county burn bans and avoid all outdoor burning until conditions improve. Fires that ignite in dormant, cured grasses may spread rapidly due to high wind speeds and