Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the 8 Ball Fire, which began in Armstrong County and spread into Donley County. The fire has threatened homes and infrastructure in the Texas Panhandle, leading to local evacuations.
“Texas continues to work around the clock to provide all necessary resources to those affected by the 8 Ball Fire,” said Governor Abbott. “With this FEMA grant, our brave wildfire response teams will be further equipped to manage and contain fires in the Panhandle. I thank the Trump Administration and FEMA for swiftly approving this funding and thank our heroic emergency personnel for their efforts to protect their fellow Texans.”
As of this morning, the 8 Ball Fire has burned about 13,000 acres and is 55 percent contained. Around 400 homes have been evacuated, with more than 1,100 homes under threat. Some residents have returned home, but state and local teams continue working on suppression, containment, and public safety.
The FMAG approval allows Texas to receive up to 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for costs related to fighting the wildfire. These grants help states and local governments manage fires that could cause major disasters.
The Texas State Emergency Operations Center remains at Level II (Escalated Response), with resources deployed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) as directed by Governor Abbott. Texans can access wildfire resources such as safety tips, current fire maps, and damage reporting through the TDEM Disaster Portal at disaster.texas.gov.
Governor Abbott has taken steps to protect residents from wildfires by increasing readiness levels at the State Emergency Operations Center before critical fire weather conditions and activating additional state wildfire response resources ahead of high fire danger.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott operates statewide from its main offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building. Since his election in 2014, Greg Abbott has led initiatives focused on job creation, economic growth, education improvement, individual liberties protection, parental empowerment in schools, and southern border security. Under his leadership, Texas has seen record employment levels and national recognition for its workforce growth. The office also received attention when Greg Abbott was named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024. More information about these efforts can be found on the official website.
