Windy day, warm temperatures mean grass fire threat in several North Texas counties
A warm Tuesday means another day of elevated threat for grass fires in North Texas, according to authorities and the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
The biggest threat is in counties to the west of Fort Worth.
The ingredients will be there on Tuesday: strong gusty winds, warm temperatures and low humidity.
It was those factors which resulted in grass fires in Wise and Parker counties on Monday. More than 250 acres burned in Wise County with one abandoned building destroyed in the blaze. The fire was east of Farm Market 51 and southwest of Boyd.
As of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, 90 percent of the Wise County fire was contained, according to officials with the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Fire crews in Parker County had to evacuate residents from homes near Ashwood Street and Texas 199 just west of Azle as firefighters battled a grass fire. No injuries were reported. Four other grass fires were reported in Parker County.
The winds on Tuesday will be stronger, according to meteorologist Bianca Garcia with the NWS in Fort Worth. Winds will be at 20 mph with gusts near 30 mph.
Humidity will be low especially in counties to the west of Fort Worth, and temperatures will be in the lower 70s.
“It’s going to be very dry, warm and windy,” Garcia said Tuesday.
Wildfire activity is expected to increase in several other areas of Texas through Wednesday as an active weather pattern aligns with dry vegetation across the landscape, according to officials with Texas A&M Forest Service.
The potential for grass fires will include the areas in the High Plains and Rolling Plains around Wichita Falls, San Angelo, Lubbock and Amarillo.
Over the past seven days, state and local fire crews have responded to 176 wildfires that burned 8,418, according forest service statistics.
In preparation for potential wildfire activity this week, Texas A&M Forest Service has fully staffed task forces and suppression equipment staged in Childress, Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Burkburnett, Fredericksburg, Smithville, McGregor, San Angelo and Mineral Wells.
Two large airtankers, three single engine air tankers, two type 3 helicopters, two air attack platforms and two aerial supervision modules are staged in state to assist with wildfire response efforts.
“Rapid response and the use of appropriate resources is essential in preventing large, destructive wildfires,” said Wes Moorehead, Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief, in a Tuesday news release. “Our agency strategically prepositions personnel and equipment across areas of concern where they can respond to requests for assistance from local fire departments who serve as Texas’ first line of defense.”
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 11:20 AM.
