The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack counties in North Texas. As of the announcement, the fire had burned more than 50,000 acres and was 5 percent contained, according to state officials.
The fire prompted the evacuation of approximately 630 homes overnight in the surrounding area. The grant makes Texas eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for eligible suppression costs.
State resources mobilized include firefighting aircraft, heavy equipment such as bulldozers, emergency medical personnel, National Guard helicopters with firefighting capability, highway patrol assistance, and support from multiple state agencies including parks and wildlife, environmental quality, and public safety departments.
Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that the approval would help the state "suppress this wildfire and protect lives and property." He urged residents to limit activities that could cause sparks and follow guidance from local officials.
With little rainfall in most areas of Texas and temperatures consistently in triple digits, wildfire danger persists across the northern half of the state.