TEXAS, USA — The Texas A&M Forest Service has updated the State Preparedness Level to Level 4. It is the second highest level that the state can be put under.
The organization says the change is a result of "a significant increase in fire activity across the state, potential for larges fires as well as the increased commitment of state and local resources to fires."
According to the update, the Texas A&M Forest Service has responded to 80 wildfires over the past week, with 41 of those wildfires taking place since Friday.
The State Preparedness Level is a measure of how prepared local agencies must be in order to properly respond to and allocate both local and statewide resources to be able to fight wildfires. The levels range from one to five.
A breakdown of the five levels and what they signify is found below. The information comes directly from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
- Level 1
- Minimal drought and normal fuel moisture allow local resources to suppress wildfires without issue. Fire activity is minimal.
- Level 2
- Elevated fire danger is observed in some regions of the state. Additional resources may be requested to assist, and aircraft may be staged in state for response.
- Level 3
- Wildfire activity is impacting several regions of the state as the result of drought, dry vegetation or frequent fire weather events. Texas A&M Forest Service strategically positions personnel, equipment and aircraft in areas at risk. Additional resources, including those from other regions, agencies or states, may be necessary.
- Level 4
- A very high volume of wildfires, including large fires and fires that are resistant to control, is reported daily across the state. The fire environment will support increased wildfire activity and a heavy commitment of state and local resources for long durations is likely required. Continued mobilization of interagency resources and the activation of incident management teams may occur.
- Level 5
- The highest level of wildland fire activity and indicates heavy resource commitment to fires locally and across the state. Conditions will support large, complex wildfire incidents across the state.
Click here for information on currently active wildfires around the state from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
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