Texas Wildfires and Hurricanes: Ignoring the Elephant in the Room

In August 2017, #HurricaneHarvey struck the Texas Gulf Coast, killing over 100 people and setting rainfall records. In February/March 2024, the #TexasWildfire swept through the Panhandle, burning over 1 million acres, with unusually high temperatures and dry conditions.

The Texas House Speaker formed a committee to investigate and offer recommendations, but their report (URL) omitted any mention of #climatechange, despite 2023 being the hottest year on record. With Texas accounting for nearly half of all climate/weather-related disasters in the US since 1980 (URL), the state's leaders continue to appease fossil fuel interests while underperforming on regulation and cleanup.

Providing first responders with the best possible equipment and training to fight wildfires is good, but ignoring climate change is a glaring oversight.

The Texas climate crisis demands urgent action, yet lawmakers stick their heads in the sand, endangering Texans and contributing to global catastrophe.

By #WhitneyWhite, Texas Office of Public Citizen