NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has issued a state of emergency due to the drought in the state.
According to a press release, the Level 3 State of Emergency went into place Thursday at 7 p.m.
The declaration allows TEMA to use personnel and resources from state and federal partners to make sure they can respond quickly to wildfire threats in Tennessee.
Officials say there are currently 53 active fires in the state, impacting 9,680 acres. Also, approximately 302 of Tennessee’s 480 water systems are experiencing some level of impact from the drought.