FREDERICKSBURG, Texas — Officials are continuing to battle wildfires across the state as extremely dry air and gusty winds bring extreme fire danger.

As of Wednesday morning, there were 12 active fires across the state. 

The first round of fires sparked on Friday and Saturday, with the largest ones being in the Pandhandle and one in Central Texas near Fredericksburg. Most of those fires were mostly contrained with the help of slower winds Sunday, but the wildfire danger is ramping up again this week with the winds picking up.

On Tuesday, two new fires sparked in the Panhandle, one in Dallam County and one in Hutchinson County. 

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the High Lonesome Fire in Dallam County, located in the northwest tip of Texas, has burned approximately 15,000 acres and is 50% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. 

Firefighters have stopped the forward progression of the fire and created a containment line.

The Double S Fire in Hutchinson County, located northeast of Amarillo, is smaller but less contained. According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, it has burned 350 acres and is only 5% contained as of 7 a.m. Wednesday. 

All previous evacuations for the fire have been lifted. 

The Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County, located near Fredericksburg, started on Saturday and has burned over 9,858 acres and is 85% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Both aircraft and ground crews were deployed to contain the fire and wrap the perimeter. 

A temporary flight restriction is active above the Crabapple Fire to allow firefighting aircraft to operate safely.

Another smaller fire in Gillespie County sparked on Monday afternoon, the Dunderstadt Fire, but it was quickly stopped. It currently has burned 50 acres and is 90% contained. 

On Friday, the Windmill Fire in Roberts County, located in the northern part of the Texas Panhandle, sparked and, so far, has burned over 23,287 acres and is 99% contained.

Another fire also sparked in the Panhandle on Friday. The Rest Area Fire is in Gray County, just east of Amarillo, and is estimated to have burned over 7,931 acres and is 100% contained as of Sunday evening.

Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley declared a local state of disaster due to the severe weather, fires and public safety power shutoffs. The declaration stays in effect for seven days, unless it is extended by the Amarillo City Council.

"This declaration is an important step in ensuring Amarillo has the support and flexibility needed to respond to ongoing emergency conditions. Please continue to follow official updates and stay weather aware," a post on Facebook said. 

Some smaller fires have sparked across the state but have been mostly contained as high winds and dry weather created what the National Weather Service has called “near historic” conditions for wildfires.

More than half of Texas’ 245 counties had burn bans in place because of the dangerous fire conditions.

While the winds eventually died down over the weekend, authorities warned that Tuesday would bring a renewed risk of fire to an area spanning from western Oklahoma through the Texas Panhandle and into southeastern New Mexico.

These most recent wildfires come just a little over a year after the largest wildfire in Texas history — the Smokehouse Creek Fire — sparked in the Panhandle and burned over 1 million acres starting Feb. 26, 2024. The cause of the fire was a decaying power pole, which snapped and burnt the dry grass around it.

The Windmill Fire is in the same area as the Smokehouse Creek Fire.

On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had approved the state's request for grants for both the Rest Area Fire and Crabapple Fire. 

“Texas is working around the clock to provide all necessary resources to local officials fighting wildfires in Gray and Gillespie counties,” said Abbott in a news release. “With the approval of these Fire Management Assistance grants, we will continue to support our brave firefighters as they battle these dangerous blazes. The safety and well-being of Texans is our No. 1 priority, and we will work tirelessly to ensure impacted communities get the assistance they need. I thank our first responders and brave firefighters for their work to protect their fellow Texans.”

The FEMA grants will provide up to 75% reimbursement for costs associated with fighting the two fires. 

For updated information on the wildfires across the state, head to the Texas A&M Forest Service Incident Viewer.