Much of North Texas will experience an elevated threat of wildfires this week.
The threat, which is not an official watch or warning from the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office, notifies residents that wildfires may be more likely to spread if started.
Fire weather alerts are formed using weather data – like humidity and wind speeds – and data about vegetation dryness from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
This week, elevated fire threats are predicted for Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, only the western half of the region will be affected, including Denton, Weatherford and Graham, courtesy of particularly low humidity. Dry conditions will reach the rest of North and Central Texas by Thursday.
D-FW Weather Wise
Despite last weekend’s rain, vegetation is still drier than usual, offering more fuel for a wildfire if started. 1.3 inches of rain fell on Valentine’s Day, but DFW International Airport is still 4 inches short of the winter normal.
Temperatures are also expected to be warm the next few days, with wind gusts between 20 and 30 miles per hour. High wind speeds can help fire spread by blowing sparks across an area.
Meteorologist Matt Bishop said an elevated fire threat’s purpose is to warn residents about conditions and possible fire development, but his office expects local firefighters will be capable of handling any wildfire-related emergencies. If circumstances could produce an intense wildfire, the weather service would issue a fire weather watch or a red flag warning.
To prevent wildfires from starting, the weather service said residents should avoid outdoor burning, driving over tall grass and tossing lit cigarettes.