http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

v 2.4.3.0

Intense heat, low humidity, and dry fuels in the South have led to extreme fire behavior this summer. On Aug. 24, Al Davis, Texas A&M Forest Service director and chair of the South-Central Forest Fire Compact activated an interagency agreement that allows for enhanced personnel and equipment resource movement among states. The USDA Forest Service, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and other partners have worked together to battle the wildfires, having provided large air tankers, other aircraft and hundreds of support personnel. The Southern Area remains the top priority for wildfires nationally, per the National Incident Management Situation Report. For the first time, the Southern Area has topped the West as a national priority for wildfire response at this time of year. This year in Texas, 4,279 wildfires have burned 165,837 acres. In August alone, Texas agency firefighters responded to 519 wildfires during the month, compared to an average of 151 wildfires. Fire activity was similarly high in Louisiana where 555 wildfires charred about 53,464 acres, compared with an August average over the past four year of 34 wildfires affecting 295 acres. AgriLife Today (Texas A&M) (College Station, Texas), Sept 11, 2023