Wildfire risk increases across southeast Texas as local climate changes

In the last couple of years, we've seen wildfires sweep through forests and across property lines in southeast Texas. While danger to human life has been avoided, this is a weather event we will be seeing more of.

According to data from the First Street Foundation, in Harris County, less than 1% of the population is at severe risk of wildfires.

"Houston is well developed, so when you see things that are highly developed, there isn't much vegetation to burn like, say, in a national forest that's just a few miles north of the city," ABC13 Chief Meteorologist Travis Herzog said.

It's in those less developed areas we've seen fires in recent years. The game preserve fire burned for the day just north of Huntsville in 2023, and now the Pauline Road fire is sweeping through part of San Jacinto County near Cold Spring. Data shows the risk for severe fire jumps to just over 70% in these areas.

SEE ALSO: Wildfire north of Huntsville is now 70% contained after 4 days of burning, according to officials

"Those places that are not as well developed, there's a lot more vegetation, and usually there are less resources to combat fires as well," Herzog said.

Southeast Texas has the rural expenses to let wildfires spread quickly, but the local climate historically has helped combat them with humid air and consistent rain. But that's changing.

SEE ALSO: 2,360-acre wildfire in Sam Houston National Forest traced back to prescribed burn, fire marshal says

"When you go between flood and drought and flood and drought, you get a lot of rain, you increase the vegetation that's put out, there's more leaves that are growing, there is more grass that is growing, and if you immediately go into drought you have dried out all those fuels, and you have the perfect recipe for those wildfires to break out with greater frequency and more intensity," Herzog said.

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