VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER THIS WEEK IN REGION; RED FLAG WARNING WEDNESDAY

  

Washington County firefighters are warning the public about increased fire danger for the next several days.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Washington and most surrounding counties until 9 p.m. tonight (Wednesday).  The increased fire risk comes as very dry conditions combine with low humidity and south-to-southwest winds of 15-25 mph. 

The Texas A&M Forest Service’s Fire Danger Forecast predicts very high fire danger for much of the area today, high danger tomorrow (Thursday), and a return to very high danger on Friday. 

The Washington County Firefighters Association says with these conditions, any fire that does start has the chance to grow extremely quickly and potentially turn catastrophic. 

The Forest Service has raised the State Wildfire Preparedness Level to Level 4 due to the recent increase in wildfire activity across the state and the growing potential for wildfires to become more severe. 

Residents are asked to take great care to prevent wildfires and be cautious of any outdoor activity that may cause a spark.  If a wildfire is spotted, they should contact local authorities immediately.