Texas Lawmakers Approve Wildfire Mitigation Bills After Historic Fire

Texas lawmakers have passed several bills aimed at enhancing wildfire preparedness and mitigating damage, particularly to support rural volunteer fire departments vulnerable to increasing wildfire risks. Senate Bill 34, spearheaded by Sen. Kevin Sparks and co-sponsored by Rep. Ken King, mandates a study on wildfire fuel loads to establish risk zones and creates a statewide firefighting equipment database, while increasing funding for volunteer departments in high-risk areas. Senate Bill 767 complements these efforts by promoting better coordination and equipment access through a shared emergency response database. Volunteer fire chiefs emphasize that while funding increases are helpful, there remains a significant need for additional resources and apparatus to meet rising call volumes. These legislative measures were prompted by the devastating Smokehouse Creek fire, which burned over 1 million acres in Texas and resulted in multiple fatalities. Texas A&M Forest Service and West Texas A&M University will lead studies to support these initiatives, aiming to bolster emergency readiness statewide.