Red Flag Warning Issued for Cooke and Surrounding North Texas Counties Due to Critical Fire Danger

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of western North Texas. This alert signifies that near-critical to critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry vegetation.

Affected Areas

According to the National Weather Service, the warning specifically impacts the following counties in North Texas:

• Cooke
• Young
• Jack
• Montague

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised to take the following precautions to prevent wildfire ignition:

• Avoid all outdoor burning and welding activities today.
• Do not toss lit cigarette butts outside.
• Report any spotted wildfires immediately to the nearest fire department or law enforcement office.
• Exercise extreme caution with any equipment that could create sparks.

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions are expected to reach critical thresholds for fire spread:

• Winds: Westerly winds between 15 to 20 mph, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels dropping as low as 13 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs reaching up to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fire Environment: Fuels are currently in the 70th-89th percentile for dryness, contributing to a high risk of rapid fire spread should a fire start.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10:00 AM CST this morning, Thursday, February 19, until 7:00 PM CST this evening.