The Allen Fire Department has activated its wildland firefighting team to respond to the potential for brush fires Friday. A High Wind Warning runs through 7 p.m. across the Metroplex; a Red Flag Warning continues until 9 p.m.
The National Weather Service says wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour are possible. The red flag warning cautions against outdoor burning or welding.
"This is particularly unique because of how low the humidity and how strong our winds are," says Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd. "Any small fire can quickly grow. That means anything in someone's backyard can grow and get into their house really quickly. Plus, we have parks and trails where we don't want that kind of damage."
Boyd says members of the department's wildland firefighting team are certified by the Texas Forest Service and train to handle differences between a structure fire and a fire burning outdoors.
"It's just a different type of firefighting that requires a different set of skills and knowledge," he says. "There's different gear. They don't wear the big heavy coats we use for structural firefighting; they wear something lighter. Their hose and water supply is lighter because they're typically having to hike that into place. Their tools are about creating fire blocks as opposed to putting out fires like shovels, axes and chainsaws."
The high wind and red flag warnings cover most of Texas. The Texas A&M Forest Service has activated the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System to ensure manpower and equipment are ready to respond to different areas.
"That is the tougher thing about it is everybody is spread a little thinner because the danger is not as concentrated," Boyd says. "But Texas really does have a robust system, so there's a process where you can get vehicles from all over the state."
Boyd says the best way to fight a wildfire is to prevent one from starting. Since a fire can start from a single spark, he says the average person can help by making sure chains hanging from trailer hitches do not drag along the road and not throwing cigarettes out the window.
Boyd says people can also help by not firing up grills, barbecue pits or fire pits until after the high wind and red flag warnings expire.
"This is a day we really want everyone to be mindful of everything that can cause a spark," he says. "Those can all get out of hand sometimes and cause a big problem. We're just asking people to wait to do those things."
The Texas Division of Emergency Management has information on how to prevent a wildfire and protect your home here.
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