Published: February 03, 2009 11:24 am      

Extreme wildfire dangers for area

The Texas Forest Service (TFS) is urging citizens from Austin to San Antonio, south to Cotulla, across the Hill County and over to the Rio Grande to be aware of heightened wildfire danger due to a cold front that will drop humidity levels and produce high winds.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the area today until 6 p.m.

“A red flag warning represents critical fire weather with continuous winds of 20 mph or greater and relative humidity at 20 percent or less,” Tom Spencer, TFS predictive services department head, said Monday. “This weather, added to critically dry fuels, such as grasses and trees, can lead to very high to extreme fire danger.”

These conditions could lead to wildfires that will be difficult to contain and can quickly endanger public safety, officials said.

This area has the potential to see very dangerous wildfires due to the prolonged drought.

The area has seen little to no precipitation for months. Additionally, the freezing temperatures of last week caused the drought-cured grasses to become even drier.

TFS Predictive Services Department forecasts that through the month of February fuels, such as grasses and trees, are expected to remain critically dry.

Ono Sunday, TFS responded to 13 wildfires for 7,093 acres.