Tarrant County Issues Disaster Declaration Due To Wildfire Threat

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raging grass fire
Photo credit Texas A&M Forest Service Facebook

Tarrant County issues disaster declaration due to threat of wildfires.

Yesterday, Texas A&M Forest Service firefighters responded to 13 new wildfires across the state that burned approximately 446 acres.

There are currently 224 counties with burn bans, including Dallas, Ellis and Tarrant County. Nine out of ten wildfires are human caused. When your county is under a burn ban, residents should avoid outdoor activities that may cause a spark, this includes welding, grinding, and using heavy machinery.

tip sheet for preparing home for fire

With Tarrant County experiencing severe drought conditions, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley signed on Friday an emergency disaster declaration.

The extreme hot and dry conditions pose the threat of large and fast-moving wildfires, which have the potential of endangering lives and damaging property on a large scale.

The Texas Government Code Chapter 418 gives the County Judge the power to declare a local disaster within the county “if the threat of disaster is imminent.”

The magnitude of the potential damage and the rapidity with which such a fire could escalate to major proportions constitute an imminent threat of disaster; and has been experienced in Tarrant County previously.

By issuing the declaration, it gives Tarrant County the opportunity to pursue other avenues of reimbursement and assistance. But both the state and each affected county must meet fiscal thresholds to be eligible for FEMA assistance.

Wildfire Disaster Declaration (Posted July 29th, 2022)

Assist first responders by ensuring property is accessible to emergency vehicles and street and house numbers are clearly visible and accurate.

🔥 Create an evacuation go-kit and plan at least two evacuation routes. Include the five P’s in your Go Kit: people and pet supplies, prescriptions, papers, personal needs and priceless items. Visit https://bit.ly/2kzSUH3
to learn more.

🔥 Be extremely cautious of outdoor activities that may cause a spark or using equipment that may overheat and always obey local burn ban restrictions.

🔥 Limit the amount of flammable vegetation around your home, especially within the first 5 feet and extending out up to 100 feet.