The long-term drought in Northeast Texas will affect the region’s fall colors. Texas A&M Forest Service ecologists say leaves will have muted tones across Northeast Texas this year. A fairly dry spring made for fewer and smaller leaves to begin with. Many leaves dropped early during the hot and abnormally dry summer. Of the remaining leaves, many of them will tend toward brown rather than red or gold this autumn. Leaves under drought stress tend to release brown colors. Trees across the region are under prolonged stress from both drought and effects of the February 2021 freeze.
In eastern Hunt County yesterday, firefighters doused a 16-acre fire near Interstate 30 southwest of Campbell. Elsewhere around the region, fire departments in Red River and Titus counties battled smaller blazes. Climatologists will publish their weekly updated drought data on Thursday. Most of the region is in moderate to severe drought, with southeastern Lamar County being among the driest areas in the region.