AUSTIN, Texas (KXXV) — Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to escalate the readiness level of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center (SOC) to Level II (Escalated Response) in anticipation of critical wildfire conditions and severe weather threats affecting large portions of the state.
"Texas continues to monitor the heightened wildfire and severe weather threats that are expected to impact large portions of the state," Governor Abbott said.
At the same time, the National Weather Service has warned of severe weather, including the possibility of tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding, particularly in North and East Texas.
In response, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is mobilizing additional firefighting resources, personnel, equipment, and urban search and rescue teams to support local efforts in managing these threats.
Governor Abbott urged Texans to stay informed and follow local authorities’ guidance. “Texans need to take these weather warnings seriously and prioritize safety,” Abbott said.
TDEM officials continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to deploy further resources as needed to help mitigate the risks associated with the ongoing threats.
At the direction of Governor Abbott, TDEM requested the following agencies report to the SOC and ensure their resources are ready to support local wildfire and severe weather response operations:
- Texas A&M Forest Service (Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System): More than 250 state and local firefighters, support personnel, fire engines, bulldozers, and motor graders; 33 federally-contracted firefighting aircraft, including four large air tankers, 15 single-engine air tankers for retardant drops, four air attack platforms for surveillance and spotting, two super scoopers for water drops, four helicopters with firefighting capability, three fire bosses for aerial guidance, and an air support 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): Wildfire and Severe Weather Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles
- Texas Department of Public Safety: Helicopters with hoist capabilities, Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, and the Tactical Marine Unit
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, rescue boat teams, and helicopters with hoist capability to assist with flood rescues
- 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
