The Texas A&M Forest Service blames 110-degree heat, 10-20 mph winds, and drought conditions in 99% of Texas for the outbreak of a record 24 new wildfires, as reported by the Associated Press.
Two fires, the Chalk Mountain and Possum Kingdom Lake fires, have by themselves burned at least 21 homes. The wildfires have scorched more than 7,000 acres in central and eastern Texas.
In a statement, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said “As we continue to deploy all available resources in response to widespread fire and drought conditions, Texans are encouraged to remain vigilant and weather-aware,” according to the Daily Mail.
Firefighters have worked to control the fires, using bulldozers to dig containment trenches and large airborne tankers to drop flame retardant.
Fires have proven hard to contain because of the ongoing heat wave and drought conditions. Furthermore, abundant fuel is available for the fire to consume, with 10 to 20 mph winds to fan the flames.
Luke Kanclerz of the Texas A&M Forest Service said in a statement that “In these fuels, resistance to control is often high and makes suppression efforts challenging for firefighters,” as reported by the Associated Press.
As of Wednesday, the Chalk Mountain Fire, around 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas, was 10% contained. The Possum Kingdom Lake fire, around 70 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas, was 15% contained.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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