Texas officials outline expanded wildfire response plans as debate continues over aircraft purchases vs. contracts

State officials told the Texas House Committee on State Affairs on Nov. 7 that the state has bolstered wildfire readiness but still faces critical gaps in aircraft availability and interoperability.

The committee heard from Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Al Davis, director of the Texas A&M Forest Service, who said the state has supported local governments through mutual aid and deployed both ground and aviation assets this year. “State assets have responded to 693 fires since January 1,” Kidd said, adding that statewide response costs are estimated at about $114,000,000 and that most aircraft working fires are contracted, not state‑owned.

Why it matters: Lawmakers pressed agencies for a short‑term fix while the Forest Service executes a multi‑year procurement. The Forest Service said it was appropriated $257,000,000 for purchase, operation and maintenance of wildfire aircraft and has posted four RFPs for new multi‑mission airplanes, used multi‑mission aircraft, large air tankers and helicopters.

The agencies described the current posture. Davis said preparedness was raised to Level 3 and that 136 counties had active burn bans; he reported…