Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley issued a seven-day disaster declaration for the county on Friday due to the drought and the imminent threat of wildfires.
The judge said extreme hot and dry conditions could lead to large and fast-moving wildfires, "which have the potential of endangering lives and damaging property on a large scale."
"The magnitude of the potential damage and the rapidity with which such a fire could escalate to major proportions constitute an imminent threat of disaster; and has been experienced in Tarrant County previously," the county said.
Earlier this week, a kitchen fire led to a blaze that destroyed three homes and damaged several others in southeastern Tarrant County. The day before, a spark from a lawnmower hitting a rock is believed to have led to a grassfire that damaged two dozen homes in Balch Springs, destroying at least nine of them.
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The declaration gives Tarrant County the opportunity to pursue federal reimbursement and assistance should certain thresholds be met.
The judge's disaster declaration will remain in place for seven days unless extended by the Tarrant County Commissioners Court
The Texas Government Code Chapter 418 gives the County Judge the power to declare a local disaster within the county “if the threat of disaster is imminent.”
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