By Texas A&m Forest Service on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Members of the Texas A&M Forest Service watch as a plane drops fire retardant on a portion of the Smokehouse Creek Fire on Saturday, Mar 02, 2024, in Hemphill County, Texas, after high winds caused a flare-up to reignite the record-breaking fire.

(Sam Craft/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications) Firefighters battle parts of the reignited Smokehouse Creek fire outside of Miami, Texas, on Saturday, Mar 02, 2024.

Sam Craft/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications July 16, 2026Texas A&M Forest Service is building a state-managed fleet of wildland firefighting aircraft, beginning with the purchase of two SUBARU Bell 412EPX helicopters.