The Texas A&M Forest Service is helping fight wildfires that have sprung up across the state due to continuous dry conditions and blazing temperatures.
As of July 27, the service had responded to 13 new requests for support in dealing with wildfires that have resulted in about 815 acres of Texas land burned. Burn bans are in effect across 145 counties.
This outbreak of wildfires comes as the past few weeks have seen triple-digit temperatures strike the state, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has also warned of elevated fire danger across a large portion of North Texas throughout the weekend and next week, advising of a number of ways to prevent wildfires. Most of the region, including Parker, Denton, Tarrant, and Collin counties, are under burn bans.
Tarrant County declared a disaster last week due to the imminent threat of wildfires in unincorporated areas.
In Parker County, the Greenwood Rural Volunteer Fire Department reported earlier this week that it had been dealing with a wildfire dubbed the Pipeline Grass Fire.
It had been 90% contained as of July 28, according to the Weatherford Fire Department. Nonetheless, it had already burned 372 acres of land by that point.
The Texas A&M Forest Service assisted in the containment of this fire and more across Texas.
The organization reported that as of July 27, eight wildfires in counties such as Jasper, Rusk, Liberty, Polk, and San Augustine had been 100% contained.
Meanwhile, it said seven other fires, including the one in Parker County, had yet to be fully controlled. One of these fires — the Rock Pile Fire in Jeff Davis County — had not been contained at all.
Preparedness for these fires is currently at level 3, indicating that additional resources from other parts of the state may be necessary. The organization advised that fire-prone weather is expected across Texas.
“Beginning Wednesday through the weekend, wildfire activity is possible in the Eastern Hill Country, Western Hill Country and Cross Timbers regions of the state,” said the organization on its website. “Elevated fire weather, when aligned with the critically dry fuels in these regions, may also support large wildfires that are resistant to suppression efforts.”
Steve Fano with the NWS in Fort Worth told The Dallas Express that hot and dry conditions are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we have any real prospects for rain, at least for the next seven days,” said Fano. “It really looks like pretty much the weather that you see or have seen for the last couple of days will continue all the way through late next week.”
The NWS advised Texans to help prevent wildfires by refraining from unnecessary burning. They are also asked not to toss cigarette butts, drag chains, or drive and park on tall grass.
