Texas A&M Forest Service provides statewide leadership and technical assistance to ensure trees, forests and related natural resources are sustained for the benefit of all. The agency supports the state’s incident response capability, protecting against wildfire and responding to a range of all-hazard incidents.

Texas A&M Forest Service is a state agency that helps conserve forests and related natural resources as well as protects the lives and property of Texas.  We help property owners maintain land and natural resources to ensure forests remain productive and healthy for generations to come.

We also support the state’s response capability for incident management. From the initial response to ongoing recovery, we strive to protect Texas from wildfires and other disasters.

We do this by fighting wildfire and responding to incidents, and also by building capacity and increasing public awareness about community protection and wildfire prevention.

In partnership with other agencies, local governments, and fire departments, we provide programs to aid communities across the state, giving them tools and resources to protect themselves and their properties.

Holiday debris burning and recycling

Careless debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires in Texas. Unsafe debris burning of wrapping paper, gift boxes and Christmas trees after the holidays could spark outdoor fires.

Before burning:

Always check with local officials for burn bans and other outdoor burning restrictions.

Avoid dry, hot and windy days.

Keep burn piles small, locate the pile at least 150 feet away from buildings and have a water source within reach.

Never leave a fire unattended; stay with your fire until it is completely out.

Recycling can serve as a great alternative to debris burning. Only plain wrapping paper can be recycled. Metallic, glittered or textured wrapping paper can’t be recycled, and be sure to remove tape, ribbons and bows.

“Use the “scrunch” test to tell if paper is recyclable or not,” said Laura Stevens, Texas A&M Forest Service Program Coordinator. “If you scrunch a piece of paper into a ball and it stays that way, it can be recycled.”