Texas is burning — and Governor Greg Abbott has officially recognized the growing threat.
In a move that underscores the severity of wildfire dangers across the Lone Star State, Abbott has issued and repeatedly extended a disaster proclamation covering nearly 200 counties. The declaration, first signed on October 14, 2024, has now been renewed through March 2025 as fire conditions show no signs of abating.
“Our No. 1 priority is to protect the safety and well-being of Texans across the state,” Abbott said in a statement after declaring disaster status for 191 counties. “I issued a disaster declaration to provide all necessary resources to communities who could be affected by wildfires. Texans are urged to regularly monitor wildfire conditions and heed the guidance of local officials and emergency management personnel to protect yourselves and your loved ones.” The Texas A&M Forest Service has raised its wildland fire preparedness level to 2, with 11 aircraft now standing by for firefighting operations.
Widening Threat Zone
How bad has it gotten? In recent weeks, more than 80 wildfires have scorched over 2,200 acres across the state. A lethal combination of ongoing drought, persistent hot weather, and dangerous wind currents has dramatically increased fire risks, particularly in North and East Texas, where 143 counties were initially included in the emergency declaration.
The threat isn’t limited to rural areas. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson issued his own pre-emptive disaster declaration, noting the city’s particular vulnerability. “Austin ranks sixth in the nation for number of homes at risk of wildfire,” Watson stated. “With that in mind, and taking into consideration the heightened risk we face due to dry conditions, I am hereby declaring The City of Austin to be in a state of disaster for wildfires.”
As conditions deteriorated, Abbott expanded the declaration. “What I’m going to sign today is an expanded disaster declaration that adds the following counties to what I signed yesterday,” the governor explained during a press briefing. “This disaster declaration includes Bexar County, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Travis, and Williamson counties.”
Resources Mobilized
The disaster declaration isn’t merely symbolic — it’s opened the floodgates for emergency response assets. Abbott’s order has activated firefighters, bulldozers, helicopters, and other machinery and personnel to combat the spreading fires and support local response efforts across affected regions.
The governor has also directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate additional emergency response resources, with the declaration now covering 179 counties as officials prepare for both wildfire and flood risks in a state known for its extreme weather swings.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has thrown his support behind the governor’s actions, particularly regarding the mobilization of additional resources. “I fully back Governor Abbott’s decision to send the Texas National Guard at President Trump’s request. It’s time we step up, strengthen security…” Miller stated, though his comments appeared to reference border security rather than wildfire response specifically.
For now, the state remains on high alert. With the disaster proclamation extended through spring 2025, Texans face the prospect of an extended fire season that could stretch resources and test the resilience of communities across nearly two-thirds of the state’s counties.
