National Weather Service issues grass fire danger statement for many East Texas counties

By KLTV Digital Media Staff
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) -

The National Weather Service issued a grass fire danger statement on Sunday morning, according to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department.

The counties affected include Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur and Wood.

The Van Zandt County Fire Marshal shared a similar NWS grass fire danger statement Saturday for several other counties: Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Eastland, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Kaufman, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Rockwall, Stephens, Tarrant, Van Zandt and Wise.

That statement noted the risk near and north of I-20, as well as near and west of US 281, had been elevated to near critical fire threat.

The NWS urges extreme care during all outside activities where there is a potential for grass fires to get started. “Avoid outside burning and welding. Do not toss lit cigarette butts outside. Report wildfires to the nearest fire department or law enforcement office quickly.”

The Texas A&M Forest Service has also issued a risk map that mirrors these warnings:

Forecast Fire Danger(Texas A&M Forest Service)