“Explosive” fire weather conditions forecast for southwest Texas

windA new spot weather forecast issued for the Rock House fire in southwest Texas at 5:15 MDT on Monday extended the earlier Red Flag Warning through 6 a.m. MDT on Wednesday. One of the reasons was “…given the fair to poor humidity recovery tonight [and] the threat for explosive growth [of fires]… (emphasis added)

The maximum RH Monday night will be 28% and the minimum on Tuesday should be 5%, with west winds gusting at 31 to 50 mph.

The nearby 15,000-acre 23,793-acre Last Chance fire across the border in New Mexico has a similar spot weather forecast with very low RH and winds gusting at 27 to 40 mph Monday night and Tuesday.

Both of these fires and the one 30-40 miles south of Texas in Mexico are putting up quite a bit of smoke visible on weather satellites. This is the first time the Mexico fire has shown any major activity in the last week or so. Air tankers from the United States are working on this fire south of the border, including the privately owned 747 Supertanker, the Martin Mars, and two U.S. military C-130 MAFFS air tankers.

Sat photo TX and NM fires Apr 25
Satellite photo showing smoke from fires in NM, TX, and Mexico. Click to enlarge. NASA

 

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

2 thoughts on ““Explosive” fire weather conditions forecast for southwest Texas”

  1. the VLT 979 (the 747) 910 (the dc-10) 232 ( the Martin Mars) are all in the area of Texas. yet most are sitting on the ground? a news caster said Texas wanted to use “the free tankers” the C-130s are not free! the air crews both in the air and on the ground are working verry hard. Tanker 979 can do the work of 7 C-130s tanker 910 can do the work of 3 C130s the mars? how close is a body of water?

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