Current Situation for Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 8:30am
Wildland Fire Preparedness Level: Level 3
August 2, 2023 - Yesterday, Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 7 new requests for assistance on wildfires that burned 246.8 acres across the state.
When combined with increased fire weather, dry to extremely dry fuel will support high levels of wildfire activity across much of the state this week. There is also potential for large wildfires to occur Tuesday through Thursday.
On Wednesday, there is a high potential for large wildfires due to critical fire weather forecast for areas along and west of I-35 and into Central and East Texas where critically to extremely dry fuel is present. Wildfires will likely exhibit high resistance to control in high-risk oak/juniper fuel for Western/Eastern Hill Country and Cross Timbers regions. High-risk pine fuel will support wildfires that exhibit resistance to control in Central Texas, Southeast Texas and the Western Pineywoods.
The fire environment on Tuesday and Thursday will support a moderate potential for large wildfires in the Western/Eastern Hill Country, Cross Timbers, Southeast Texas, Western Pineywoods and Central Texas where elevated fire weather aligns with critically to extremely dry fuel.
Isolated thunderstorms on Monday may produce ignitions from lightning in East Texas and the Trans Pecos mountain ranges. On Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires due to lightning may emerge in dry fuels due to forecast fire weather.
There are currently 163 counties with burn bans.
Active Wildfires:
- Powder Keg Pine Fire, Bastrop County - 100 acres, 50% contained
- Rafael Fire, Hidalgo County - 46 acres, 95% contained
- Classic Canyon Fire, Coryell County - 235 acres, 95% contained
Contained Wildfires (100%):
- Anderson 2705 Fire, Anderson County - 13 acres
- Cherokee 2710 Fire, Cherokee County - 1 acre
- Shelby 2703 Fire, Shelby County - 3 acres
- Shelby 2707 Fire, Shelby County - 0.8 acre
- Jasper 2708 Fire, Jasper County - 83 acres
- Blum Fire, Hill County - 300 acre
- Hillside Fire, Eastland County - 2 acres
Texas Wildfire Data and Information: current and historical wildfire information, statistics and resources.
Visit the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer for information on active and recently contained wildfires.
*This information will be updated Monday - Friday unless significant wildfire activity occurs.
