Harris County was among 33 counties added to the disaster proclamation issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday amid "elevated fire weather conditions" throughout the state. Abbott also instructed the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to elevate its readiness level and prepare to respond to damage caused by wildfires, tornadoes, hail and heavy rainfall, according to a Tuesday news release.
"Texas continues to monitor the heightened wildfire and severe weather threats that are expected to impact large portions of the state," Abbott said in the release. "High winds, low humidity and dry vegetation increase the potential for wildfires to start in west, central and south Texas, and severe storms in north and east Texas will create hazardous conditions. Texans are urged to limit any activities that may cause sparks or flames, follow the guidance of state and local officials and have an emergency plan to keep yourself and your family safe."
A total of 236, or 92%, of Texas' counties were under a disaster proclamation Tuesday, according to the release. Abbott instructed a host of state agencies, including the National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety, to prepare disaster response resources ahead of the severe weather.
Local officials echo Abbott's warning
Although the areas most at risk for wildfires are concentrated in the western two-thirds of the state, the Houston Fire Department said in a Tuesday news release that, despite recent rainfall, Houston is still under a red flag warning. Red flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when conditions in a region are conducive to wildfires.
"While this morning's rainfall may temporarily reduce the risk, the combination of strong winds, low humidity and dormant grass and debris will create dangerous conditions that could allow fires to spread quickly," Muñoz said in the release. "We are urging all Houstonians to exercise extreme caution today. Not only will you protect yourself and your property, you will be keeping our firefighters safe, also."
HFD previously warned residents as early as Feb. 26 of heightened wildfire conditions. The department asked residents stay "fire aware" after a blaze at Memorial Park consumed 10,000 square feet of green space.
The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office echoed the warning issued by HFD, and asked residents to avoid outdoor fires, littering cigarette butts and other activities that could potentially spark a wildfire.
"The red flag warning now in effect may feel sporadic, but we must take the current dangerous fire conditions seriously," the HCFMO said in a statement. "Please help protect our community by avoiding outdoor fires, properly discarding cigarette butts and keeping vehicles off dry grass. A small spark can quickly escalate into a wildfire, so let's stay vigilant, look out for each other, and do our part to prevent disaster."
While the NWS has issued a red flag warning for the area, Harris County is not under a burn ban. Although the threat of wildfires across the area is high, climate conditions did not meet the standard required for a burn ban, a spokesperson for the HCFMO said. Officials typically enact a burn ban when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, or KBDI, reaches an average level of 575 or higher — well above the most recent average for Harris County, which was 83 as of March 1, the spokesperson said.
The wildfire warnings came just one day after CenterPoint Energy issued a release asking Houston residents to prepare for strong to severe thunderstorms through Tuesday evening. The company said it's bracing for possible outages across the Gulf Coast, including Mississippi and Louisiana, and is monitoring weather conditions closely as they develop.
"We're continuing to monitor the potential for severe weather and impacts to our electric and natural gas systems overnight and into tomorrow evening," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's meteorology manager in the Monday release.
Centerpoint's Houston-area customers are at just a marginal risk for storm-related outages, Lanza said, but the company is on high alert should conditions change.
"... We don't anticipate widespread damage and related outages at this time, but we are coordinating our resources and response for all outcomes," Lanza said.
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