Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Issues Wildfire Disaster Declaration in 191 Counties

Members of the Hays County Emergency Service Districts and the Kyle and Buda Fire Departments rest together while combatting a wildfire during an excessive heat warning in Hays County, Texas on Aug. 8, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration in 191 counties in response to wildfire activity across a large portion of the state as temperatures remain in the triple digits and drought conditions continue.

“The State of Texas continues working with local officials to respond to critical wildfire activity across the entire state,” Mr. Abbott said in a press release on Monday.

“I issued a disaster declaration to surge the deployment of additional resources and assistance to 191 counties currently experiencing dangerous wildfire conditions.”

The high temperatures, dry conditions, and wind have caused “very high to extreme fire danger” in many regions of the state, prompting officials to raise the state’s preparedness level.

The governor’s declaration covers about 75 percent of the state—from the panhandle down to South Texas and from West Texas across to East Texas.

On Aug. 7, the Wildfire Preparedness Level was raised to Level 4  after state and local firefighters responded to 119 wildfires that burned over 9,000 acres since the beginning of the month, according to Texas A&M Forest Service.

“This decision to move to Preparedness Level 4 indicates the complexity of wildfires across Texas is increasing to where they require more time, personnel, and equipment to put out,” Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief Wes Moreland said in a news release.

On Saturday, the agency said it responded to 20 new wildfires that burned thousands more acres across the state.

“Yesterday, Texas A&M Forest Service firefighters and all assigned resources responded to 20 new wildfires for 5,010 acres burned,” it wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.

Emergency Personnel, Firefighters Commended

“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 wildfire to protect their fellow Texans and communities,” said Mr. Abbott.

The remnants of a wildfire are seen burning on Aug. 08, 2023, in Hays County, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

On Monday, the Forest Service was called to assist local fire local crews working a 250-acre wildfire in the piney woods of Trinity County, about 80 miles north of Houston. A burn ban was issued for the East Texas county on July 25.

Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace shared a video on Facebook that showed small airplanes scooping water from Lake Livingston to dump on the fire.

The blaze had been 100 percent contained and turned back over to local firefighting crews, the Forest Service wrote in an update on Tuesday. No structures were burned.

Earlier this month, some residents in Wise County, northwest of Fort Worth, were evacuated while firefighters battled two large grass fires simultaneously —one in Runaway Bay and the other near Rhome.

“We’ve got some new guys that have never been in grassfires, and it’s pretty scary when you see trees five feet from you go up in flames,” Runaway Bay Assistant Fire Chief Joel Yates told KDFW-TV. “They just torch off, and you’re sitting right in the line of fire and trying to get out as quick as you can.”

Of the state’s 254 counties, 194 had issued their own burn bans as of Tuesday. The bans extend from Potter to Starr and El Paso to Sabine Counties, according to the Forest Service.

“Texans are encouraged to remain weather-aware and heed the guidance of state and local officials,” Mr. Abbott said.