Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott
Menu

Governor Abbott Provides Update On State Resources, Ongoing Response To Texas Wildfires

March 4, 2024 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Abbott today provided an update on the state's ongoing wildfire response and resources deployed as state and local emergency response personnel continue to fight the historic wildfires in the Texas Panhandle.

“As Texans in the Panhandle respond to these devastating wildfires, the State of Texas continues working around the clock to swiftly provide the necessary resources to protect Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “The safety and well-being of impacted Texans is our No. 1 priority as the potential for more dangerous wildfires persists in the coming days. We urge Texans to continue to heed the guidance of state and local officials and utilize tools that have been made available by the Texas Division of Emergency Management and local partners. I thank our brave firefighters and first responders who are risking their lives and working around-the-clock to protect their fellow Texans during this time of crisis.”

Texans can locate wildfire resources from state agencies by visiting the 2024 February Wildfires page in the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Disaster Portal at tdem.texas.gov, including:

  • Texas Division of Emergency Management: Reporting Wildfire Damage
  • Texas A&M Forest Service: Current Wildfire Situation
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Supporting Wildfire Survivors with Agriculture Needs
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team: How to Request Veterinary Support
  • Texas Animal Health Commission: Wildfire Information for Livestock
  • Texas Department of Agriculture: Hay Hotline, AgriStress Hotline, State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund

 

Other state resources found on TDEM’s one-stop-shop website, including information on air quality monitoring and how to file insurance claims.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, cooler weather this week will assist responders as fire suppression efforts continue in communities impacted by ongoing wildfires. An underlying risk for new wildfires will continue in the Texas Panhandle and South Texas until spring green-up occurs in the abundance of grass vegetation found in these regions.

 

The following active wildfires have state ongoing support as of this morning:

  • Smokehouse Creek Fire, Hutchinson County: est. 1,076,638 acres, 15% contained
  • Windy Deuce Fire, Moore County: 144,206 acres, 55% contained
  • Grape Vine Creek Fire, Gray County: 34,882 acres, 60% contained
  • Magenta Fire, Oldham County: 3,297 acres, 85% contained
  • Roughneck Fire, Hutchinson County: est. 300 acres, 25% contained

 

At the direction of Governor Abbott, the following state emergency response resources remain engaged to support the state’s wildfire response efforts:

  • Texas A&M Forest Service: Over 100 firefighters, heavy equipment such as bulldozers and motor graders; Aircraft including 7 Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs), 5 Large Airtankers (LATs), 2 Multi-Engine Airtankers (Super Scoopers), 3 Air Attack Platforms, 1 Lead Plane, and 1 Aerial Supervision Module; All Hazards Incident Management Team personnel; 20 Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) strike teams comprised of over 340 personnel and over 95 fire engines; Over 175 out of state personnel to support state firefighting operations
  • Texas Division of Emergency Management: Emergency response personnel to support requests for assistance from local officials; On-site personnel to support local impacted communities
  • Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1, Texas Task Force 2, and Texas A&M Public Works Response Team): Urban Search and Rescue Teams; Public Works Strike Teams
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET): Animal veterinary services in impacted communities
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs
  • Texas National Guard: Over 50 personnel; 6 helicopters, including Chinooks and Black Hawks with fire suppression capabilities that have dropped over 75,000 gallons of water so far
  • Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel and equipment to assist with road closures; fuel for firefighting support
  • Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers to assist with road closures and traffic control
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife: Game Wardens to support local law enforcement
  • Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): 6 Wildland Fire Support Packages including paramedics and ambulances; 5 Medical Incident Support Team personnel; Ambulance bus to support emergency medical mass care needs
  • Texas Animal Health Commission: Personnel to provide livestock support
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring

 

Affected Texans are urged to report wildfire damage using TDEM’s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) self-reporting damage survey when it is safe to return home. This information helps emergency management officials identify resource needs and determine the state’s eligibility for various forms of disaster assistance. The survey can be accessed in English and Spanish and can be located at damage.tdem.texas.gov. Reporting damage through the iSTAT tool is a voluntary activity and is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance agency. It does not guarantee disaster assistance.

 

Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities and protect Texans from these devastating wildfires, including:

  • Issuing a disaster declaration for 60 Texas counties in response to widespread wildfire activity. Additional counties may be added as conditions warrant.
  • Holding a briefing with state and local officials and providing an update on the state’s ongoing response to wildfires impacting the state. 
  • Granting waivers for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to support a swift state response in support of impacted Texans. 
  • Directing TDEM to deploy additional state emergency response resources and raise the readiness level of the State Emergency Operations Center to support the priority needs of communities facing impacts from these wildfires. 
  • Receiving approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request for the Smokehouse Creek Fire and Windy Deuce Fire, meaning that Texas will be eligible for 75% reimbursement from the federal government for costs associated with fighting those fires

 

Texans are encouraged to continue taking all measures to prevent wildfires, including making an emergency plan, avoiding activities that cause sparks, and following instructions from local officials. Texans can visit TexasReady.gov for wildfire tips, tfsweb.tamu.edu for safety information, and tdem.texas.gov to report wildfire damages.