AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 191 counties due to widespread wildfire activity across Texas. The move comes in response to ongoing critical fire conditions.
Texas A&M Forest Service anticipates that wildfire activity will persist due to high temperatures and dry weather. The Central and East Texas regions are particularly more at risk with fire weather conditions expected to peak mid-week.
Abbott stated, "The State of Texas is collaborating closely with local authorities to address the urgent wildfire situation statewide. This disaster declaration aims to speed up the need of extra resources and aid to the 191 counties grappling with wildfire conditions."
To tackle the crisis, the following state firefighting resources remain deployed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) across the state in support of wildfire response operations:
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Firefighting staff, heavy machinery, 30 All Hazard Incident Management Team members, 31 aircraft, and 13 Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) strike teams comprising over 230 personnel and 70 fire engines.
- Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Paramedics and ambulances as part of Wildland Fire Support Packages.
- Texas Division of Emergency Management: Emergency response personnel available to assist with local requests.
- Texas Department of Transportation: Provision of fuel and water tenders for firefighting operations.
- Texas National Guard: Blackhawks equipped for fire-suppression capabilities.
To view the entire declaration, visit here.