DALLAS — All of North Texas is experiencing severe, extreme or exceptional drought conditions due to a combination of a mostly rain-free summer and sweltering temperatures, according to a weekly update from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The drought monitor, updated every Thursday, says that the vast majority of Texans — 22.8 million people — are affected by drought.
Dallas-Fort Worth is currently on a 47-day rain-free streak that began June 4, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. It is the region’s eighth-longest streak on record, according to the weather service.
Although some parts of North Texas have seen isolated storms in recent weeks, the weather service takes its official precipitation measure at DFW International Airport, which has remained bone-dry.
The drought monitor has five classifications — abnormally dry, for areas that may soon be in drought or have just ended drought conditions, and four levels of drought: moderate, severe, extreme and excessive.
Severe drought is defined as poor pasture conditions, hard soil and higher risk for wildfires. Burn bans are implemented during this stage, according to the monitor. About three-quarters of Texas, including Collin and Denton counties, is currently experiencing at least severe drought.
In extreme drought, soil has large cracks and soil moisture is very low. Crops also fail to germinate, which results in decreased yields. Farmers and ranchers require more feed and water, and livestock is sold in an extreme drought, the drought monitor said. Most of Dallas and Tarrant counties and Rockwall County are in extreme drought, along with about half the state.
Under exceptional drought conditions, which currently affect 21% of Texas, widespread crop losses are reported and fields go unplanted. Fire danger becomes much higher and industries including agriculture, forestry and tourism report significant financial losses. Areas in North Texas under the highest level of drought include parts of Tarrant, Ellis and Parker counties and all of Johnson County.
Because of the extreme heat and drought, parts of the state have been more susceptible to wildfires. A “red flag warning” was issued for the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday, indicating an elevated risk for wildfires in the area.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, there were 10 active wildfires throughout Texas on Thursday, including a fire in Parker County that has burned through 172 acres, and a wildfire in Palo Pinto County that has burned through 500 acres.
More than 200 counties have burn bans in effect, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and others in North Texas, the forest service said.
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