Texas A&M Forest Service has positioned firefighting
personnel and equipment in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains in preparation for
forecasted elevated to critical fire weather in the areas, with anticipation of
conditions becoming progressively worse today, tomorrow and into the weekend.
Underlying drought aligned with dryness,
increased wind speeds, freeze cured grasses, an abundance of vegetation on the
landscape and elevated to critical fire weather will produce conditions
conducive to increased wildfire activity in the High Plains and Rolling Plains.
In addition to Texas A&M Forest Service
resources, the state has also mobilized two Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid
System (TIFMAS) strike teams, including 50 firefighting personnel and 10 fire
engines; three Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATS); and one air attack
aerial supervision aircraft.
Additional resources also are on stand-by, available
for mobilization if necessary.
Read Governor Abbott’s original news release: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-tdem-deploy-wildfire-response-resources-in-panhandle-south-plains
For winter weather wildfire prevention tips, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/WinterWildfirePrevention/