State and local officials and fire crews across North Texas are on high alert Friday for the possibility of wildfire outbreaks amid strong winds and dry conditions throughout the area.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a High Wind Warning for multiple counties in North Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, until 7 p.m. on Friday.
Southwest winds from 25 to 40 mph are expected, with wind gusts of up to 65 mph. The strong winds have the potential to blow down trees and damage property and could result in power outages in some areas. Travel could be difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles, according to the weather service warning.
Residents are advised to watch for falling tree limbs and debris and use caution when driving.
In addition, a Red Flag Warning has been issued for all of North and Central Texas until 9 p.m. on Friday. A Red Flag Warning indicates that high temperatures, very low humidity, and strong winds are creating an increased risk for wildfires. All outdoor burning and welding activities should be avoided, and smokers are reminded to not toss lit cigarette butts outside.
The NWS has marked the North Texas region as under a “critical fire threat.” Some areas west and north of the metroplex have been described as under an “extreme fire threat.”
Fire marshals and emergency coordinators from across the region met on Thursday to prepare for the possibility of a wildfire outbreak and pre-assign crew and staging equipment in case of an emergency.
“It’s going to be bad,” Parker County Fire Marshal Randy Franks said, per WFAA. “I pray it doesn’t, but that’s what we’re looking to. It’s going to be the worst we’ve seen in a long time.”
He said that he is concerned about people setting fires in violation of the current burn bans, a situation that his department has had to address many times recently.
“They’ve been burning every day and every night. It’s just nonstop. We can’t keep up with it,” Franks said. “They just burn because that’s what they’ve always done. People just don’t understand the severity of this.”