Warm temperatures, strong winds and dry vegetation have combined to make the threat of fire extremely strong over the next few days.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a red flag warning, effective through Friday, for West Texas and southeastern New Mexico.
Fire weather conditions for this area are expected to be extreme Thursday and Friday, the NWS warned.
“Critical conditions will expand Thursday and Friday to include all of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas,” a NWS bulletin stated. “Fire danger increases Friday to historical levels in the Guadalupe Mountains and adjacent plains, with widespread extreme conditions elsewhere. There exists the potential of fires which resist control on Friday.”
High temperatures today and Thursday are expected to reach the low to mid 90s, with wind gusts of up to 35 mph forecasted through Friday. Humidity is expected to be between 6 and 10 percent Friday, when the fire threat will be highest, the NWS stated.
There is a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms Thursday evening, but that is expected to have little or no impact on the fire warning.
In light of dry conditions which have persisted this year, Snyder Fire Department Chief Perry Westmoreland said property owners should take the NWS warning very seriously.
“What it means is that it will take next to nothing to start a fire,” Westmoreland said. “When you have the combination of high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds, and you throw in vegetation that is very dry to begin with, almost anything that can generate a spark can start a grass fire.”
The NWS advises residents to store trailer chains properly so that they don’t rub against pavement and cause sparks. Also, people should hold off on yard work or welding near dry vegetation and motorists are advised to extinguish cigarettes inside their vehicles.
“You need to use an extra level of caution the next few days,” Westmoreland said. “Take it up a notch from just being cautious.”