Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate additional wildfire response resources as large areas of South, West, and Northwest Texas face elevated-to-critical fire weather conditions this week.
“Texas stands ready to deploy all necessary resources to thwart any wildfire threats in our state,” said Governor Abbott. “Today, I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy additional resources in preparation of potential wildfire danger this week. Texans are urged to create an emergency plan, heed the guidance of state and local officials, and limit any activities that can cause a spark to best keep themselves and loved ones safe.”
The National Weather Service forecasts increased fire risk for parts of South Texas today and the Panhandle tomorrow due to dry fuels, strong winds, and above-average temperatures. The High Plains, South Plains, Permian Basin, Big Bend, and West Texas regions are expected to see critical fire weather midweek—especially on Tuesday—when wind gusts, daytime heating, and low humidity could raise wildfire risks. This heightened danger is anticipated through at least the latter half of the week.
At Governor Abbott’s direction, several agencies remain mobilized for wildfire response. These include more than 250 firefighters from the Texas A&M Forest Service’s Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System; over 75 pieces of heavy equipment; more than 25 federally contracted firefighting aircraft; medical support packages from the Department of State Health Services; helicopters from the Texas National Guard; personnel from multiple state departments monitoring road conditions and providing law enforcement; disaster assessment agents for agricultural needs; utility outage monitoring by the Public Utility Commission; natural gas supply oversight by the Railroad Commission; and environmental monitoring by the Commission on Environmental Quality.
These measures add to previously deployed state resources supporting local wildfire operations.
Texans are encouraged to make emergency plans, prepare supply kits, and avoid activities that could start fires. Wildfire safety information is available at tfsweb.tamu.edu and TexasReady.gov. General disaster preparedness resources can be found at tdem.texas.gov/prepare.
Governor Abbott has continued actions such as updating disaster declarations and deploying further resources in response to ongoing wildfire threats.
According to information from the official website, Governor Abbott has led his office since his election in 2014. The Office maintains its main offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building and provides services statewide across Texas. Under Abbott’s leadership, priorities have included job creation, economic opportunities, education enhancement, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, and southern border security. He was also recognized among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024.
