Latest news with #TexasIntrastateFireMutualAidSystem
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Longview firefighters helping battle fires across Texas
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – Longview firefighters have been helping to put out fires all across Texas this past month. LIST: East Texas counties issue burn bans Members of the Longview Fire Department who were in Lubbock helping to extinguish the wildfires in West Texas have returned home while a new group has been sent to Amarillo to help put out the fires still burning near there. Longview firefighters returned from Lubbock on March, 11 after being dispatched to West Texas as part of the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) Longview also sent a crew to Amarillo on that same day to help put out the Windmill Fire in Perryton fire which has burned over 23,000 acres of land. The crew is currently positioned in Plainview and are expected to remain their for the next two weeks. 'The Longview Fire Department would like to thank the community for all the support and prayers that have been given to our crews at home and away fighting fires,' the department said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas wildfires: FEMA approves federal assistance grants for fires in Gray, Gillespie counties
The Brief FEMA has approved Texas's request for Fire Management Assistance Grants for two wildfires in the Hill Country and the Panhandle. The Rest Area fire and the Crabapple fire have burned a collective 17,431 acres so far as of Sunday afternoon. FEMA's approval means that Texas is eligible for 75% reimbursement for costs associated with fighting the two wildfires. AUSTIN, Texas - FEMA has approved Texas's request for federal funding to fight two large wildfires burning thousands of acres in the Hill Country and the Panhandle. Gov. Greg Abbott announced the approval in a release, saying that FEMA has approved the state's request for Fire Management Assistance Grants for the Rest Area Fire in Gray County and the Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County. What we know FEMA's approval means that Texas is eligible for 75% reimbursement from the federal government for costs associated with fighting these wildfires. The grants are available to states and local jurisdictions for the mitigation, management, and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction and would constitute a major disaster. Dig deeper Abbott has directed the following state emergency response resources to support local wildfire response efforts: Texas A&M Forest Service (Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System): Local, state, and out-of-state firefighters and support personnel, fire engines, bulldozers, and motor graders; federally contracted firefighting aircraft, including large air tankers, single-engine air tankers for retardant drops, air attack platforms for surveillance and spotting, super scoopers for water drops, helicopters with firefighting capability, fire bosses and an aerial supervision module for aerial guidance Texas Division of Emergency Management: The State of Texas Incident Management Team to support deployed emergency response resources across the state Texas National Guard: Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters with firefighting capability Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Wildland Fire Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers to patrol roadways and assist stranded motorists Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, State Park Police Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2): Type 3 Urban Search and Rescue Teams Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs Texas Animal Health Commission: Coordinating animal resource needs Texas Department of Agriculture: Coordinating agricultural resource needs Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel monitoring road conditions Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state's natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring Texas Health and Human Services Commission: Personnel to provide information on available services through the 2-1-1 Texas Information Referral Network Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring technology infrastructure By the numbers The Rest Area fire in Gray County, located east of Amarillo, has burned about 7,900 acres and is 95% contained as of 4:03 p.m. March 16, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service incident map. The Crabapple fire in Gillespie County, located between Fredericksburg and Crabapple, has burned about 9,500 acres and is 55% contained as of 6:30 p.m. March 16. What you can do Texans whose homes or businesses sustained wildfire damage are also encouraged to report it using TDEM's Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) damage survey. The survey can be filled out in multiple languages by selecting "2025 Wildfire Incidents." Collected information in these surveys helps emergency management teams assess the damage and aids officials in connecting impacted Texans with available resources. However, Abbott's office is reminding Texans that the iSTAT survey is not a substitute for reporting damages to insurance providers and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance. The Source Information in this report comes from the Texas A&M Forest Service and Gov. Greg Abbott's office.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
A&M Forest Service alerted for fire danger
College Station, Tx (FOX 44) – The Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System is among resources alerted in anticipation of wildfire danger across West Texas midweek. Texas Governor Greg Abbott Tuesday directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate state wildfire resources with dry conditions expected to persist through the week. The mutual aid system and the Texas Forest Service will have state and local firefighters, support personnel, fire engines, bulldozers, motor graders and aircraft ready. Very high to extreme fire weather conditions are forecast in the Far West and Big Bend regions, with high to very high wildfire risk for much of the state's western half, including the Panhandle, South Plains, Permian Basin, and parts of the Hill Country. 'Texas stands ready to deploy all necessary resources to support local communities as they prepare for increased wildfire risk in West Texas,' said Governor Abbott. 'Hot and dry conditions are set to impact West Texas communities from the Far West to the Hill Country. These conditions increase the potential for wildfires to start this week. Texans are urged to limit activities that could create sparks, follow instructions from state and local officials, and take precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.' The Texas Emergency Medical Task Force of the Texas Department of State Health Services was also alerted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
