Texas Wildfires Flare Up Again as Drought and Wind Return
After a brief lull, wildfires are once again breaking out across Texas.
RED: Active fires / BROWN: Contained fires
The Texas A&M Forest Service has responded to new fire starts in Burnet, Sutton, Bosque, Dickens and Aransas counties in recent days, a reminder that this year’s fire season never really ended — it just paused.
As of this week it had scorched more than 1000 acres and sat at 30% containment, with crews battling steep terrain and dry fuels.
KCBD-TV
It’s the latest in a string of fires this year in the Rolling Plains, following the Bell Fire that burned over 450 acres in the same county back in March.
Burnet County, part of the fire-prone Hill Country, has already seen multiple wildfires in 2026, including the Cedar Gulch and Lonesome Pine fires earlier this year.
New activity in Sutton and Bosque counties fits the same pattern: quick-moving grass and brush fires fueled by cured vegetation and gusty winds.
Screenshot
Photo; Sutton County Emergency Management
Even areas along the coast are seeing fires. Aransas County has seen two blazes spark this past week.
The underlying driver hasn’t changed.
More than half of Texas remains in some level of drought, and a La Niña pattern is keeping the state warmer and drier than normal into the fall. As of early July, 81 Texas counties had active burn bans in place — a number that has fluctuated but stayed persistently high all year.
It builds on lessons from the devastating 2011 Labor Day fires that destroyed dozens of homes in Travis County alone.
Overall, 2026 has been an active year: more than 400 wildfires burned upwards of 11,000 acres in just the first four months, well ahead of the pace set in recent years. With hot, dry, windy conditions expected to persist, officials are urging Texans to avoid outdoor burning, stay alert to local burn bans, and have an evacuation plan ready.
Sources: Texas A&M Forest Service (tfsweb.tamu.edu); KCBD/Fox34 News; CBS Austin; Texas Comptroller Disaster Relief; City of Austin/Travis County CWPP (cwpp-austin.hub.arcgis.com); Texas Burn Ban Tracker (texasburnbans.net); USFireDept 2026 Wildfire Outlook
Austin’s upcoming budget proposal, debuting today, addresses a projected $27 million deficit. City staff have outlined two distinct paths forward:
The Tax Revenue Route: A 3.5% property tax increase to maintain current city services while avoiding a mandatory tax rate election.
The Cost-Cutting Route: Keeping property tax rates flat, which would likely result in reductions to city services.
The city of Austin is expected to release the draft proposal for next fiscal year's budget on Friday.
Councilmember, Marc Duchen, tells me the focus right now isn't figuring out where to allocate funds.
The Austin Police Department has identified a man whose body was found inside a truck at an East Austin park Wednesday evening. Authorities weren’t sure at first if foul play was involved but are now saying the victim suffered gunshot wounds and that they are searching for a suspect. (Austin Police Department)
A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with arson earlier this week after attempting to set fire to a CapMetro bus. Officers apprehended the suspect at the Tech Ridge Transit Center in North Austin Tuesday morning, following reports of a disturbance and trespassing. Police confirmed the suspect was linked to the attempted vehicle arson earlier that morning. (KXAN-TV)
Austin police are looking for three suspects who are related to a series of ATM thefts Tuesday at the Wells Branch Food Mart in Austin. They say the men came here from Houston. (Austin Police Department)
An East Austin restaurant claims it was robbed early Tuesday morning.
ICE warrants were served by state troopers Thursday at the Villas de Sendero apartment complex, which is located near Cameron Road and St. Johns. Two women were taken into custody.
KVUE-TV
THURSDAY
(Video: Lore Báez – Austin Report)
Austin ISD‘s $887 million budget, approved by the Board of Trustees, includes cuts to the school district’s police force as part of a broader effort to address budget challenges.
Austin Energy is planning a temporary outage starting at 11 p.m. Sunday, impacting customers in portions of downtown and West Campus.
KVUE-TV
Teddy’s, a Southwestern cuisine inspired restaurant and bar on 38th Street in Austin, has shuttered. It is one of several recent restaurant closings in the ATX.
On Thursday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2–1 ruling that leaves a June 2025 decision striking down the law firmly in place. First enacted over two decades ago, the Texas Dream Act previously offered in-state tuition rates to students without legal status, provided they resided in the state for three years and completed a Texas high school diploma or GED. (KUT 90.5)
“Unfortunately, I do think he has a real chance. I think this is a real race. I think it’s going to be close. I think we’re going to win, I think we’re going to keep Texas red, but the polling right now shows this is a 1- or 2-point race.” — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz
Meanwhile, Talarico announced the Texas Attorney General’s office denied his request to obtain records relating to what he calls the ‘Hoffman Files’. The files center around communications relating to the legal proceedings of Adam Hoffman, a former Waco attorney whose child sex abuse case garnered criticism over how the Attorney General’s office handled his plea deal. (KCEN-TV)
CBS Austin
The death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, shot to death on Tuesday in Houston by ICE agents, has formally been declared a homicide.
ICE said 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo did not follow commands and then tried to run one over an agent with his van before being shot.
WFAA-TV
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will be scaling back her public schedule for the next several weeks. Hidalgo’s office announced Wednesday that the judge has been diagnosed with mononucleosis, noting that while she will continue performing her executive duties, her doctors have advised her to limit public appearances while she recovers. (Houston Chronicle)
A woman has filed a lawsuit against Gillespie County and a former deputy, claiming he sexually assaulted her multiple times.
KVUE-TV
Concerns over data centers in Williamson County spilled into a contentious Taylor City Council meeting after officials declined to act on a petition signed by more than 1,400 residents seeking a temporary pause on development.
KXAN-TV
Fort Worth leaders are also pushing for a temporary pause on data centers.
The bond also includes build-out space designed for a future in-house dispatch operation. Dispatch services are currently contracted with Williamson County Communications for approximately $1.3 million annually.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Five-star forward Marcus Spears Jr. has committed to Texas and will reclassify to play college basketball during the 2026-27 season, he announced on social media Thursday.
Locked on Longhorns
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Texas Football head coach Steve Sarkisian has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, Inc. announced Thursday.
On Texas Football
MLB: A thrilling walk-off win for the Texas Rangers last night.
Wyatt Langford lined a shot off the wall in left field to bring home Alejandro Osuna in the ninth inning, lifting Texas to a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels after the Rangers blew a five-run lead Thursday night. (Associated Press)
The Houston Astros had Thursday off. Tonight, it’s the beginning of an in-state series between the Astros and Rangers.
Les Bleus March On: France Secures First Semifinal Spot
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: The quarterfinal round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ kicked off with a heavyweight clash on Thursday, as tournament favorites France punched their ticket to the final four. Today, the spotlight shifts to Los Angeles for an all-European showdown with massive stakes.
Thursday’s Quarterfinal Recap
France 2 – 0 Morocco
Goals: Kylian Mbappé (60′), Ousmane Dembélé (66′)
Venue: Boston Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
France overcame a resilient Moroccan defensive block to claim a 2-0 victory and advance to their second consecutive World Cup semifinal. After a scoreless first half where Morocco’s disciplined backline frustrated the French attackers, superstar Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, slotting home his seventh goal of the tournament. Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead, converting a brilliant sequence fueled by Michael Olise’s playmaking. Morocco fought valiantly but could not replicate their historic 2022 run, leaving France to await the winner of today’s heavyweight match.
On the Schedule Today: Friday, July 10
The second quarterfinal matchup brings together two star-studded European giants in Southern California. Spain enters the match with a pristine defensive record, having yet to concede a single goal this tournament, while Belgium rides the momentum of an explosive 4-1 dismantling of the USMNT.
Match
Round
Kickoff Time (CT)
Kickoff Time (ET)
Venue
TV / Streaming
Spain vs. Belgium
Quarterfinals
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
Los Angeles Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
FOX, Fox One, Peacock (Spanish)
What to Watch For: Keep an eye on the youth vs. experience dynamic. Spain’s teenage phenom Lamine Yamal and goalkeeper Unai Simón—who is chasing a record-extending seventh consecutive clean sheet—will be thoroughly tested by Belgium’s veteran attack, led by a rejuvenated Romelu Lukaku and playmaker Leandro Trossard.
16 miles of scenic trails winding through rugged rock formations that look like they got lost on their way to West Texas. There’s a peaceful 91-acre lake perfect for spotting wildlife, including bald eagles if you time it right. Turns out, Texas had one more mountain hideaway up its sleeve, and now you can go find it yourself.
