‘Dangerous’ fire weather conditions in store for Fort Worth. What to know about red flag warning

“Exceptionally dangerous” fire weather conditions will develop over North Texas on Friday, March 14, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth.

A red flag warning is in effect for all of North and Central Texas from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. The warning is issued when there are critical fire weather conditions are happening or about to happen, according to the NWS.

Sustained winds around 25-45 mph, with gusts above 50 mph, started Friday morning and are expected to continue through the afternoon.

Some areas could see gusts near 60-65 mph, which could cause damage like downed trees or power lines. Strong winds will also blow dust across the D-FW region over Friday afternoon, reducing visibility for several hours, the NWS said.

A high wind warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Friday for several parts of North Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas, Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Arlington, Granbury, Denton and Stephenville.

Continued fire threat over Friday

Low humidity near 10-15% will develop early Friday afternoon along and west of Interstate 35.

The low humidity, extreme winds and dry fuels (grasses, shrubbery, trees) will result in critical to extreme wildfire threats Friday, according to the NWS.

Much of North Texas is under a critical fire threat, while areas to the northwest around Cisco and Bowie are under an extreme fire threat.

Humidity will increase late Friday into early Saturday, with values around 30-40% for most areas, according to the NWS. Elevated to critical fire threats will continue Saturday, specifically across Central Texas.

Temperatures over Friday and Saturday will be in the 70s.

Is Tarrant County under a burn ban?

Not at this time. Check this page to see all active burn bans in Texas.

Tips to prevent wildfires

The NWS recommends the following to prevent wildfires amid the fire threat this weekend:

• Do not burn unnecessarily or leave a fire unattended.
• Secure tow chains to avoid dragging and causing sparks.
• Never toss lit cigarettes on the ground.
• Contact local law enforcement and the fire department if you see smoke or fire.

Brayden Garcia

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Brayden Garcia is a service journalism reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Brayden mainly writes about weather and all things Taylor Sheridan-related.