Gov. Abbott issues disaster declaration as wildfires burn
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster as wildfires burn across the state and extreme heat continues.
The declaration includes 75% of the counties in Texas.
Earlier this week, the Texas A&M Forest Service raised the State Wildfire Preparedness Level to Level 4 after an increase in wildfire activity across the state and the growing potential for wildfires to become more severe.
As of Aug. 12, 542 fires have burned almost 70,000 acres in the Lone Star state, according to TFS.
In the past week, state and local firefighters responded to 119 wildfires that burned 9,012 acres.
The declaration makes all state resources available to combat the threat wildfires pose and comes after many counties across the state have issued burn bans.
Experts advise avoiding outdoor activities that may cause sparks, including welding, grinding and using heavy machinery and obeying burn bans.
Full list of counties included in the governor's disaster declaration:
- Anderson,
- Andrews,
- Angelina,
- Aransas,
- Archer,
- Atascosa,
- Austin,
- Bailey,
- Bandera,
- Bastrop,
- Baylor,
- Bell,
- Bexar,
- Blanco,
- Borden,
- Bosque,
- Brazos,
- Brewster,
- Briscoe,
- Brooks,
- Brown,
- Burleson,
- Burnet,
- Caldwell,
- Calhoun,
- Callahan,
- Cameron,
- Cass,
- Castro,
- Chambers,
- Cherokee,
- Clay,
- Cochran,
- Coke,
- Coleman,
- Colorado,
- Comal,
- Comanche,
- Concho,
- Cooke,
- Coryell,
- Crockett,
- Crosby,
- Culberson,
- Dallas,
- Denton,
- DeWitt,
- Dimmit,
- Duval,
- Eastland,
- Ector,
- Edwards,
- El Paso,
- Ellis,
- Erath,
- Falls,
- Fannin,
- Fayette,
- Fort Bend,
- Freestone,
- Frio,
- Gaines,
- Galveston,
- Garza,
- Gillespie,
- Glasscock,
- Goliad,
- Gonzales,
- Gregg,
- Grimes,
- Guadalupe,
- Hale,
- Hamilton,
- Hardeman,
- Hardin,
- Harris,
- Harrison,
- Hays,
- Henderson,
- Hidalgo,
- Hill,
- Hood,
- Houston,
- Howard,
- Hudspeth,
- Hunt,
- Jack,
- Jackson,
- Jasper,
- Jeff Davis,
- Jefferson,
- Jim Hogg,
- Jim Wells,
- Johnson,
- Karnes,
- Kaufman,
- Kendall,
- Kenedy,
- Kerr,
- Kimble,
- King,
- Kleberg,
- Knox,
- La Salle,
- Lamb,
- Lampasas,
- Lavaca,
- Lee,
- Leon,
- Liberty,
- Limestone,
- Llano,
- Madison,
- Marion,
- Martin,
- Mason,
- Matagorda,
- Maverick,
- McCulloch,
- McLennan,
- Medina,
- Menard,
- Midland,
- Milam,
- Mills,
- Mitchell,
- Montague,
- Montgomery,
- Nacogdoches,
- Navarro,
- Newton,
- Nolan,
- Nueces,
- Orange,
- Palo Pinto,
- Panola,
- Parker,
- Polk,
- Potter,
- Presidio,
- Randall,
- Reagan,
- Real,
- Red River,
- Reeves,
- Refugio,
- Robertson,
- Rockwall,
- Runnels,
- Rusk,
- Sabine,
- San Augustine,
- San Jacinto,
- San Patricio,
- San Saba,
- Schleicher,
- Scurry,
- Shackelford,
- Shelby,
- Smith,
- Somervell,
- Starr,
- Stephens,
- Tarrant,
- Taylor,
- Terrell,
- Throckmorton,
- Tom Green,
- Travis,
- Trinity,
- Tyler,
- Upshur,
- Upton,
- Val Verde,
- Van Zandt,
- Victoria,
- Walker,
- Waller,
- Ward,
- Washington,
- Wharton,
- Wichita,
- Wilbarger,
- Williamson,
- Wilson,
- Winkler,
- Wise,
- Yoakum,
- Young,
- Zapata, and
- Zavala counties
For more information or to view the disaster declaration, click here.
