AUSTIN, Texas – With wildfires still burning in California, Texas lawmakers are considering a plan to create a Lone Star Air Force to battle outbreaks here.

Operators of an aerial firefighting company came to the Capitol to help lawmakers get the idea off the ground.

The backstory:

More than 80 aircraft have been used to battle the wildfires in California. The fleet includes assets from Bridger Aerospace. Planes known as Super Scoopers were flown to LA from the company’s airbase in Montana.

“I think large fires are becoming more of an issue and year-round readiness is paramount,” said Sam Davis. 

Davis is the CEO of Bridger Aerospace. He was in Austin on Thursday not just to talk about the California fires. His company is trying to help Texas build its own “fire response” Air Force.

“What we want folks to know is that having these assets on contract or owned or operated by the state of Texas at their disposal is the first and foremost strategy of getting ahead of these fires, pre-positioning, responding quickly and doing what we call initial attack when these fires even high threat is in place. Having them at the ready is very key,” said Davis.

What happened during the Panhandle Wildfire hearings?

The backstory:

State lawmakers evaluated what went wrong during the February wildfires in the Texas Panhandle. The fire was the largest in state history.

The historic wildfires burned across more than 1.2 million acres, killing two people and thousands of livestock. Not to mention, the fire destroyed hundreds of properties and farmers’ livelihoods. 

“The big fire started when a power pole blew over, that started the Smokehouse Creek Fire. The other three fires were started in that old oil field that’s over 100 years old,” a speaker said.

The Panhandle Wildfire hearings last year is where the idea for a Texas Air Force was pitched. The recommendation came after landowners complained about the slow response, and how locally owned aircraft, at times, were grounded. 

What they’re saying:

The Thursday briefing at the Texas Capitol by Bridger Aerospace was for legislative staffers.

“So, the conversation is how do we get aircraft pre-positioned in the state of Texas? How do we get them responding on a very initial attack when this fire happens so we can work on keeping it small,” said Mel Holtz with Bridger.

The briefing is a chance to get out information ahead of any new hearings that may take place during the legislative session.

“I think it’s really important for the appropriators and for the emergency management people, including the governor’s office, to be engaged in these seminars, to see what their options,” said State Rep. Carl Tepper.

Tepper, a Lubbock Republican, indicated he is leaning toward some type of public private partnership.

“You don’t just jump in the aircraft and fight fires. The aircraft have very extensive maintenance schedules. The crews have very specialized training. There’s even X-rays. The aircraft are X-rayed regularly for cracks and structural integrity. So, there’s a lot that goes into this firefighting. And owning any aircraft, any aircraft owner will tell you there’s a lot of extensive maintenance. And so, the state needs to be careful and cautious about what type of contracts we enter into, what type of aircraft we buy, if we do indeed buy any,” said Rep. Tepper.

A spokesperson for State Senator Kevin Sparks (R) Midland sent FOX 7 a statement about the briefing.

“We have a responsibility to vet and utilize the latest tools and technology to better mitigate all types of natural disasters. The heroic efforts during the 2024 Texas Panhandle wildfires showed the need for greater investment in disaster response including ground and aerial support to protect our communities. By investing in these resources, the state can lead in wildfire preparedness and relief,” said Katie Fields, the Policy Analyst for Sen. Sparks.

An option also under consideration involves the state providing dedicated airfields and refueling pads for contracted aircraft. That kind of footprint is similar to a temporary site built at ABIA several years ago after a fire outbreak across central Texas.

“Selfishly, we want to see this done right, you know, at the state level. And I think this is the right way to see this done right. And take some of the no offense, but a little bit of the federal dysfunction out of the play,” said Davis.

What’s next:

There was no discussion on Thursday about how much this idea would cost Texas taxpayers. 

The recommendation from the Panhandle hearing suggested allocating $50 million for six aircraft. But that amount, like the plan itself, is far from being set.

After a pair of narrow defeats against two of the nation’s best squads, the Texas basketball team went on the road against longtime rival Oklahoma and held on for a 77-73 win Wednesday.

The win gave Texas (12-5, 1-3 SEC) its first SEC win over fellow conference newcomer Oklahoma (13-4, 0-4). Up next for Texas? A trip to No. 4 Florida Saturday.

Follow below for updates.

More: Texas vs Oklahoma: Preview, prediction, how to watch men’s basketball game

Texas vs Oklahoma score updates

Texas secures its first SEC and first Quad 1 win (trust me, those are important come NCAA Tournament selection time) by fedning off a wild Sooner rally. Jordan Pope, who entered the game avering 20 points a contest over gis last six games, scores 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting to negate a career-high 29 points from OU’s Jalon Moore. Tre Johnson added 16 points, including two late buckets. .

The Sooners pulled to within three points, but back-to-back buckets from Tre Johnson (16 points) has given Texas some cushion.

Make it 27 for Texas guard Jordan Pope, who’s scored the last 14 for Texas. By the way, good news for UT to get Arthur Kaluma back on the court after he left the game with an injured shoulder, but he is trying to navigate this game with four fouls.

Where would Texas be without Jordan Pope? The Texas guard scored nine points in a row for Texas and has a team-high 21 points as the Longhorns are desperately trying to hold off the Sooners.

At one point, Texas held a 53-30 lead. The Longhorns have scored three points in the last eight minutes. Jalon Moore had led the Sooner rally with 17 points.

Texas has six baskets and six turnovers this half. Can the Longhorns settle down and get some quality shots?

Things are falling apart for Texas over the past few minutes. UT has made just one of its last seven shots, and OU is on a 12-1 run over the last 4 miniutes. Maybe even worse? Arthur Kaluma, the team’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, left the game after injuring his right shoulder on a hard screen.

The Sooners are on a 10-2 run, and their sudden physicality and some pressure is causing fits for the Longhorns. Texas will have to stay stay strong with the ball and make their free throws to keep this lead, it feels like. And who will step up for some needed buckets?

A couple of turnovers and a couple of defensive lapses, and OU is clawing its way back into the game. Rodney Terry takes a timeout to try and settle the Longhorns.

All five Texas starters already have at least eight points and Texas is starting to control the glass. If the Longhorns can take care of the ball, they should escape Norman with a much-needed Quad 1 win and their first SEC win. But tons of time on the clock; do the Soonbers have a run in them?

Jordan Pope didn’t cool off during the break. The Oregon State transfer is up to 12 points, and Tre Johnson just coaxes in a reverse layup that draws oohs from the Texas bench and groans from the Norman crowd. Do yourself a favor and watch that replay.

This small ball by both teams really suits Texas. The Longhorns, free from being bothered by the bruisers they’ve faced so far in the SEC, have shot 48.5% from the floor and 6-of-15 from long distance. Tramon Mark and Tre Johnson each have 10 points, and Jordan Pope and Arthur Kaluma have eight apiece. Worth noting: Oklahoma shoots almost 81% from the foul line but is just 4 of 8 from the stripe.

Tre Johnson (10 points), Jordan Pope (8) and Tramon Mark (8) have each made a pair of 3-pointers for Texas, which has six assists on 13 field goals. Great ball movement so far for UT. Of note: Devon Pryor, a 6-7 wing, makes a first-half appearance. With Chendall Weaver out, Texas coach Rodney Terry needs someone else to provide some good minutes off the bench.

There are a lot of good shooters on both teams in this game, and none is hotter than Jordan Pope. The Texas guard drains another 3 to boost his total to eight points. Now, who’s going to win the battle on the boards between two teams that struggle with rebounds? OU leads that battle 12-10.

Jordan Pope is heating up. The Texas guard hits a little runner in the lane and follows that with a 3-pointer. That quick five points forces an OU timeout.

Arthur Kaluma had four points on 1-of-5 shooting in Saturday’s loss to Tennesse, but he’s already up to four against the Sooners. Texas has already hoisted seven 3-pointers in a wide-open game. This matchup seems to favor Texas; is it a must-win in the rugged SEC?

After wrestling with physical teams in Auburn and Tennessee the past two games, the Longhorns must be loving a more free-flowing game againt OU. Tre Johnson is off to a quick seven points for Texas

Texas and Oklahoma will wait for Tennessee and Georgia to finish their game on the SEC Network before tipping off. Sixth-ranked Tennessee (15-1, 2-1 SEC) has a 19-point lead with less than 4 minutes to go over No. 23 Georgia (14-2, 2-1) in the conference matchup.

Guard Chendall Weaver, one of the energizers for the Texas basketball team, could miss a significant amount of time, head coach Rodney Terry said Monday. Terry didn’t give a time estimate on the absence of Weaver, who injured his right hip in an 87-82 loss to Auburn on Jan. 7. He did say that “it’s going to take a little time to get him back.”

A junior from Mansfield, the 6-foot-3 Weaver averages 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per contest.

Texas vs Oklahoma time

Day: Wednesday

Start time: 9 p.m.

Location: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma

How to watch Texas vs Oklahoma

TV channel: SEC Network

Livestream: Fubo, ESPN+, SEC+