‘Every Part of Texas Is at Risk’

The National Weather Service’s Central Texas office didn’t mince words:

“Dangerous, potentially historic, extreme fire weather conditions are forecast Tuesday across our area. Very strong winds and low humidity will support the rapid spread and difficult suppression of any wildfires that may ignite.”

Responding to that warning, earlier this year, an Austin meteorologist quickly posted on Facebook an evacuation checklist.

Keyboard cranks came for her in the comments.

“Quick everyone panic!”

“Talk about causing unnecessary panic.”

“It was raining this morning, so, thanks.”

And it did rain. A frontal system swept across Central Texas early that next morning, March 4, bringing with it 40–50 mph gusts. The wind facilitated a rapid drop in humidity and the wicking of moisture from vegetation—creating ideal conditions for wildfires.

“Those critical jokers must not have been here during the 2011 fires,” one commenter countered on Facebook. “Wildfires are not a joke, something to be laughed at.”

By 7:30 p.m. that day—despite the brief rains—there were nine active wildfires across Texas and four in the Austin-San Antonio area, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

In a state as big and geographically diverse as Texas, it’s always wildfire season. And no area of the state is immune. Fires can happen anywhere and almost anytime.

“Under certain weather conditions and fuel conditions, every part of Texas is at risk for wildfires,” says Heather Gonzales, a fire information and education program specialist with the forest service. “Any region that’s had a period of extended drying or little precipitation and then also has increased winds or low relative humidity values has increased wildfire risk.

“The region with the greatest risk can vary week to week or even day to day.”

Over the past 10 years, more than 84,000 wildfires across the state have scorched more than 4.5 million acres. They’re no longer strictly a concern for rural folks. About 85% of wildfires, on average, ignite within 2 miles of a community—a rising trend as Texas continues to grow and more people live in what the forest service calls the wildland urban interface.

The WUI is where developed and undeveloped land come together—where lives and structures are at greater risk from fires. That’s where the forest service focuses its community outreach and support.

Since its inception in 1915, the forest service has been tasked with wildfire suppression, defending the property and lives of Texans through a network of strategically placed firefighters and equipment supported by the state’s more than 1,800 municipal and volunteer fire departments.

But more and more, as Smokey Bear will tell you, the forest service depends on everyday Texans to prevent wildfires from starting in the first place and protect themselves when fires spread.

“The best way to mitigate your wildfire risk is to prepare for it well before a wildfire happens,” Gonzales says. “Now is a good time to address any vulnerabilities you might have around your home or any structures on your property, reducing excessive vegetation and removing dead vegetation from the little nooks and crannies around your house and gutters.”

Wildfires can move quickly, up to 14 mph, depending on the wind. That means they can jump from the horizon to your home within minutes.

“A lot of times, it’s not the flame front itself coming directly to your property, it’s embers created from the wildfire that can blow 1–2 miles away,” Gonzales says. “If enough of those embers collect, or if whatever they’re collecting on is dry enough, it could potentially ignite a fire on your home.”

Over the past several years, new technologies have been helping in the battle against wildfires.

In Austin, for example, the city has deployed an artificial intelligence-driven wildfire detection system that employs 13 high-definition, 360-degree cameras.

Texas A&M University researchers partnered with MidSouth Electric Cooperative in 2017 to test special sensors, which the university spent more than a decade developing. While 90% of wildfires are human-caused, these sensors have helped to lessen the risk of fire sparked by electric infrastructure.

Worldwide, a consortium of engineers competed in 2024 for a $750,000 prize by developing plans for the next generation in AI detection and autonomous wildfire response.

But for homeowners and landowners across Texas, the guidance hasn’t changed: Be aware of the dangers, mitigate the risks to your property and avoid sparking a fire.

“The biggest thing is just to be very situationally aware,” Gonzales says.

That part is easier than ever.

The Texas A&M Forest Service website offers several resources—including a live wildfire risk map and a live map of known fires—at texaswildfirerisk.com. There’s also the free Watch Duty mobile app, launched in 2021, which draws on various data sources to provide live updates on wildfires nationwide. Your local emergency management office also is a great resource and can fill you in on local burn bans and restrictions.

For large plots of land, prescribed burns can be a great tool for mitigating risk, and the forest service awards grants every year to support these efforts—$951,000 this year alone for 168 landowners to burn 35,138 acres.

When it comes to mitigating the risk to smaller plots, homes and businesses, start with your landscaping. (Don’t set it on fire; prescribed burns are for professionals only.) Keep grass short, but don’t mow during the heat of the day or anytime wildfire risks are high, and check for spark risks, like rocks or metal objects, lurking in your yard.

“Keep the lawn lean, clean and green,” Gonzales says.

Prune trees at least 6 feet up, and remove taller bushes or anything underneath trees that can serve as ladder fuel, allowing fire to climb into the tree canopy. Clear flammable materials from the immediate area around your home, storing firewood at least 30 feet away. Finally, create an evacuation kit and have a plan and route ready for quick escapes.

While Texas doesn’t have fire seasons but rather a “fire year,” Gonzales says August can be a particularly risky time.

“You have high temperatures, low relative humidity values, lack of precipitation and winds also come together to increase fire potential,” she says.

Start planning now.