Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration on Monday due to the ongoing wildfires raging across Texas.
“The State of Texas continues working with local officials to respond to critical wildfire activity across the entire state. I issued a disaster declaration to surge the deployment of additional resources and assistance to 191 counties currently experiencing dangerous wildfire conditions,” Abbott said in a press release.
“As we continue to respond to wildfire conditions across the state, Texas is ready to provide any additional resources and aid to impacted communities,” the governor added.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth predicted that hot and dry temperatures would return this week after a brief respite from triple-digit temperatures. Such conditions have made the state a “tinderbox,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Abbott’s declaration comes as a growing number of wildfires spring up across the state, like the grass fire that recently burned 13 acres in Dallas County.
The governor plans to deploy additional resources to support the 95 fire departments currently dealing with wildfires in Texas.
“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,” Abbott said, per the press release.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management has already deployed firefighting resources in response to the fires, including the Texas A&M Forest Service, which has 31 aircraft, 13 Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System strike teams, and 30 All Hazard Incident Management Team personnel in the field.
Additionally, the Texas National Guard has deployed Blackhawk helicopters with fire suppression systems, and the Department of State Health Services is dispatching ambulances and paramedics.
The Texas A&M Forest Service reported that, as of August 14, there were seven uncontained wildfires across the state. The organization also reported that isolated storms could produce “localized critical wind speeds, resulting in a rapid increase in fire intensity or rate of spread.”
“High-risk pine fuels in portions of Central, as well as south of Interstate-20 in East Texas, will support the potential for significant wildfires that may be resistant to control on Tuesday and Wednesday,” reads the organization’s website. “Accelerated drying of vegetation will occur on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will produce extremely dry fuel.”
Abbott urged Texans to remain weather aware and to pay attention to warnings given by officials. In addition, residents are advised to make emergency plans and to limit activities that can start fires.