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The Texas A&M Forest Service is raising the state's wildfire preparedness level to the second-highest rating. The Level 4 rating indicates a large number of wildfires with state and local officials dedicating more resources to firefighting. As of Wednesday, nearly 70% of the 254 counties in Texas had enacted burn bans. Strong winds, hot temperatures, and drought conditions are creating ideal conditions for fast-moving fires. By this time last year more than 538,000 acres had burned, compared to 55,000 this year.