Texas readies crews, equipment to deal with growing wildfire threat

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Across Texas, 64 wildfires burned more than 10,000 acres in the last week, so Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he's getting crews and equipment ready to respond of the threat of more happening.

“As the state continues to endure triple-digit temperatures and dry vegetation, Texas is deploying additional firefighting resources to assist communities that have increased wildfire activity," Abbott said. “Texans are strongly urged to take all necessary precautions and heed the guidance of state and local officials to keep their families and their loved ones safe from wildfires."

The governor said the Texas A&M Forest Service, which is tasked by the state to respond to wildfires, raised its wildland fire preparedness level to Level 3. That means the service rates wildfire activity as impacting several regions of the state because of drought, dry vegetation or frequent fire weather events.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, wildfire activity is expected to keep increasing in the north and northwest regions of the state, while the risk is growing toward east Texas, the eastern Hill Country and Central Texas due to vegetation drying after several days of triple-digit temperatures.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management activated state firefighting resources, including more than 350 firefighters and support personnel, four helicopters with firefighting capability from the Texas Military Department and wildland fire support packages from the Texas Department of State Health Services.