The wind and the dry weather can spark a wildfire in an instant if the conditions are right.
According to the National Weather Service, the primary red flag criteria, a designation for dangerous fire weather conditions, includes a relative humidity of 15-percent or less combined with 25 mile per hour winds.
Steve Holland, division chief Lubbock Fire Rescue, said Lubbock is pretty dry right now and has already had some windy days this year.
“It could be as small as a little dumpster fire, but with this wind it could quickly spread to a fence or a yard maybe a house,” Holland said.
He predicts the fire conditions will get worse over the next few months.
“With what I’m seeing in the future forecast for moisture and that this spring going to maybe a dry spring, all of the brush and grass and stuff from last years growth it’s going to be so susceptible to catching on fire right now,” Holland said.
LFR is sending out extra units to every fire they go to just as a precaution, Holland said.
“With the high winds and the low humidity we’re trying to get the extra help there as fast, quickly as we can,” Holland said.
Holland says there are some things a person can do to be cautious: be careful smoking outdoors, welding, and barbequing.
“We had a fire this past week where somebody was just smoking in their backyard and dumped their smoking materials and caught the yard on fire and it extended into the neighbors house,” Holland said.
He said it’s also important to clear yards of debris, tall grass and garbage.