More than 20 months after wildfires swept through the Texas Panhandle in early 2024, burning over 1.2 million acres of land , state lawmakers questioned if Texas has the tools needed to tackle another major fire.

“We're coming into fire season, and we have this as a recurring nightmare every year,” Rep. Ken King, a Republican representing Canadian and other Panhandle communities, said during a Nov. 3 committee hearing.

The background

During Texas’ regular legislative session earlier this year, state House lawmakers advanced legislation aimed at helping the state access firefighting aircraft and improving emergency communications for first responders. Both measures died in the Texas Senate, King told the House State Affairs Committee on Nov. 3.

State senators declined to consider a

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