Red Flag Warning Issued for Texas Panhandle Due to Critical Fire Weather Conditions

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Texas Panhandle. This alert signifies that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. The combination of strong winds, extremely low relative humidity, and warm temperatures creates an environment favorable for rapid fire growth and spread.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts a wide geographic area across the Texas Panhandle, including the following counties and regions:

• Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, and Lipscomb
• Hartley, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts, and Hemphill
• Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, and Wheeler
• Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, and Donley
• Palo Duro Canyon

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are urged to avoid any activities that promote open flames or sparks. Given the critical fire environment, any fire that starts could spread rapidly. The National Weather Service recommends that the public prepare for these hazardous conditions and exercise extreme caution.

Expected Conditions

The following conditions are expected during the warning period:

• Winds: West winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels dropping as low as 7 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs in the low to upper 80s.
• Fire Environment: The fire environment is rated at a 7 out of 10. Fuels (Energy Release Component) are in the 70th-89th percentile, representing a 4 out of 5 severity level.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is scheduled to be in effect from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM CDT on Monday, March 9. The alert was originally issued by NWS Amarillo at 10:49 PM CDT on Sunday, March 8.