Texas Faces Wildfire Threat Amid “Extreme Drought” After Historic Deep Freeze

No, this is not The Onion…

Weather-battered Texas can’t catch a break. Last month, the Lone Star State experienced a “historic” plunge in temperatures that nearly collapsed the power grid. Governor Greg Abbott has issued warnings about elevated wildfire risks in several state regions this week, reported CBS Austin. 

Abbott said Tuesday that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas A&M Forest Service, and the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) are preparing to respond to wildfires if they break out in the Panhandle, Western Plains, Trans Pecos, and the South Texas Plains due to warm, dry, and windy conditions. 

“As Texans in the Panhandle, Western Plains, South Texas Plains, and Trans Pecos area face a significant threat of wildfires, I urge Texans in these communities to heed the guidance of their local leaders and avoid any outdoor burning that could spark wildfires,” said Abbott. “The State of Texas is working alongside local officials and emergency management leaders on the ground to keep our communities safe and mitigate the threat that wildfires pose.”

According to the US Drought Monitor, the areas of concern are located in “extreme” to “exceptional” drought areas. Fears are mounting of a Great Depression’s Dust Bowl style drought developing in the Southwest. 

This is the latest weather-related disaster to threaten the state after up to 15 million people were left without power during an Arctic blast when the state’s electric grid nearly collapsed last month. 

Bloomberg says, “at least 2.1 million people face critical wildfire conditions, including in Amarillo and El Paso, Texas.”