Gusty winds, dry air and vegetation, high chance of thunderstorms and warm weather are all contributing factors to the critical fire forecast released today by the Texas Forest Service (TFS). Pretty much everything south of the Texas Panhandle is considered to be at risk.
The cold front will certainly bring cooler temperatures, says TFS, but it will only bring a 20 to 30 percent chance of precipitation. Chances of thunder and lightning are much higher and no more than an inch of rain is expected to fall in the region. Residents are warned to stay alert.
Since the beginning of the November 2010 fire season, the rampant Texas wildfires have burned over 3.8 million acres and destroyed 2,763 homes. Firefighters have responded to 23,835 fires and have prevented the destruction of 34,977 homes, according to the Texas Fire Service.