Texas Forest Service prepares for wildfire risk as Houston drought worsens after month without rain

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — It’s been almost a month since Houston received a drop of rain, with the last measurable rainfall occurring on Sept. 24. This, paired with above-average and warm temperatures for the past three weeks, has led to worsening drought conditions across Southeast Texas.

As of Oct. 21, much of the region, including all of Harris County, now has dry to moderate drought conditions.

Some areas need 8 inches of rain or more to offset the current conditions, but unfortunately, that amount is not in the forecast for the next two weeks or longer.

There’s an increasing concern that current drought conditions worsen and the threat of local wildfires will grow.

Matt Schwartz, with the Texas Forest Service, spoke to ABC13 Meteorologist Elyse Smith on Monday.

The statewide office reports that they are currently moving additional resources, including planes and helicopters, to southeast Texas because of the current and future drought projections.

There are also a few things you can do at home to mitigate the chance of wildfire spread over the next few weeks.

Schwartz explained that dry weather causes leaves and pine needles to fall prematurely from trees. This debris can easily catch fire if a wildfire approaches, so he advised cleaning up dry or dead vegetation around your home.

With fall activities in full swing, be careful when parking on dry grass. A car engine could spark and potentially create a fire.

Burn bans are in place across several counties in southeast Texas. As of Oct. 21, 165 counties in Texas had burn bans in place.

The developing La Niña is another reason for concern about the current drought. A La Niña winter pattern would bring warmer, drier conditions to Texas, so droughts that develop now could last through fall and well into winter. The last time October was this dry in Houston during a transition from El Niño to La Niña was from 2010 to 2011, which also happened to be when one of the worst droughts in state history occurred.

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