February 27, 2024 8:01 PM ET
How weather conditions affect flames
From CNN Meteorologist Sarah Tonks
Various police and fire departments across Texas mobilized troops to help fight the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
Hanazuka Fire Department
The ongoing wildfires are primarily caused by strong winds and dry air. A strong wind warning and red flag warning are also in effect for the area until 8pm local time.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement Tuesday afternoon, “The Texas A&M Forest Service has confirmed that several large wildfires broke out yesterday under warm, dry and windy conditions across the Texas Panhandle. reported.'' “The predicted strong winds will impact these wildfires and could cause them to spread further. Dormant grasses will be added to the landscape in areas near and surrounding the wildfires, including the Southern Plains Panhandle. wildfires are likely to occur where they are abundant.'', Texoma, Permian Basin Region.
He said parts of East Texas are also at increased risk of wildfires.
Well, the news is a mix of good and bad news.
A cold front moving through the region will bring cold air and shift wind direction Tuesday evening. Winds may die down, but the flames could spread in other directions. So far, winds are spreading to the east, and a change in winds could lead the fire south.
“This is a dangerous game for firefighters because we have a cold front coming in from the north,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said Tuesday. “The winds have been coming from the west all day and now they're coming from the north.” said. “Firefighters and personnel must stay out of the way of changing winds.”
But this cold air is also good news. The relative humidity of the cold air mass moving into the region is much higher than the dry air fueling the fires on Tuesday, so the fire danger will be limited as the night gets colder into Wednesday. .
The fire weather threat will decrease significantly on Wednesday, with some gusty winds and partial air conditions likely to cause concern in South Texas, but the threat is short-lived and not widespread. It is expected.
