| 2025 Texas wildfires | |
|---|---|
 Smoke from the Crabapple Fire on March 15 | |
| Season | |
← 2024 |
The 2025 Texas wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Texas.
| 2025 Texas wildfires | |
|---|---|
| Smoke from the Crabapple Fire on March 15 | |
| Season | |
← 2024 |
The 2025 Texas wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Texas.
From Mid-February to Mid-April, vegetation is often dead or dormant. Combined with dry winds, low humidity, and La Niña-related conditions, fuels can ignite more easily—and once started, fires spread rapidly due to these atmospheric patterns. This timeframe sees elevated wildfire activity in the absence of vegetation green-up. [1] [2] Brad Smith of Texas A&M Forest Service notes this aligns with La Niña cycles, which intensify dryness and wind in winter into spring. [3]
From March to May, as vegetation greens up and then dries, especially after a wet winter, the combination of abundant grass fuel, warmer, drier weather, and occasional lightning can ignite severe wildfires. These months contribute to a significant proportion of the state's largest fires. [4] [5]
Over time, Texas has seen a trend toward year-round wildfire risk, driven by changing land use, climate trends, and increased human activity. According to Fire Chief Wes Moorehead, what used to be two distinct seasons have blurred, as fire conditions now show up in all months. [6] This is further compounded by climate change, which has extended "fire weather"—days combining heat, dryness, and wind—raising wildfire potential across the state. [7]
Texas's 2025 wildfire season began early, with dry fuels, strong winds, and low humidity contributing to heightened fire danger across many regions. In March, several major grass and brush fires ignited across the Texas Panhandle and Central Texas. [8]
One of the most significant fires was the Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County, which burned about 9,858 acres and destroyed or threatened numerous structures. [9] The fire was fully contained by March 21. [10]
As the season progressed, dry vegetation and drought stress increasingly primed much of East and Central Texas for fire outbreaks. Governor Greg Abbott recently raised the state’s Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 3 in response to wildfire activity exceeding 3,000 acres in recent weeks. [11]
Texas A&M Forest Service reports that in a recent reporting period, they responded to 25 new fire incidents burning 379.2 acres statewide, indicating that while many fires are small, the environment remains capable of producing larger events. [12]
State and federal agencies remain on heightened alert, as much of the eastern half of Texas currently has dry vegetation and elevated fire potential. The Texas Fire Potential Update indicates that Central and East Texas will see moderate initial attack fire potential, with short windows of higher danger where conditions allow. [13]
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date [a] | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Hills | Hutchinson, Moore | 3,900 | February 1 | February 4 | [15] | |
| Middleton | Chambers | 3,089 | February 16 | February 18 | [16] | |
| Twin Oryx | La Salle | 2,156 | March 4 | March 6 | [17] | |
| Welder Complex | San Patricio | 775 | March 4 | March 8 | Damaged multiple structures and caused four injuries. | [18] [19] [20] |
| Windmill | Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Roberts | 23,287 | March 14 | March 20 | [21] | |
| Rest Area | Gray, Donley | 7,931 | March 14 | March 16 | [22] | |
| Crabapple | Gillespie | 9,858 | March 15 | March 21 | [23] | |
| Persimmon | Jefferson | 1,691 | March 16 | March 19 | [24] | |
| High Lonesome | Dallam | 23,335 | March 18 | March 20 | [25] | |
| Pauline Road | San Jacinto, Montgomery | 2,421 | March 19 | March 26 | [26] | |
| Salt Lake | Brazoria | 1,025 | July 30 | August 1 | [27] | |
| Tule | Swisher, Briscoe | 2,548 | October 4 | October 5 | Included two grass fires that burned west of Silverton. | [28] |
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