Firefighters in Wise County are preparing for the most dangerous fire conditions in nearly 15 years. NBC 5’s Keenan Willard reports on how first responders are working to prevent disaster.
The area northwest of DFW is facing an extremely critical fire risk Friday.
NBC 5 went to Wise County, where first responders are trying to prevent brush fires from turning into potential disasters.
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WATCH HERE“Because tomorrow’s humidities are going to be extremely low, the wind speeds are going to be extremely high,” said Jason Paradise, Fire Chief with the Boyd Fire Department. “So if a fire has a chance because of the fuel, it’s going to outrun us.”
In Wise County, a strike team and task force of firefighters will mobilize to any brush fires that pop up on Friday.
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SIGN UP The day before at the Boyd Fire Department, firefighters were testing their equipment, prepping trucks, and steeling themselves to potentially sleep at the station if any firefights turned into drawn-out battles.
“Us having an ability to stop fires with these conditions, it’s tough,” said Paradise.
Firefighters said their biggest concern was the small housing divisions in Wise County that have recently popped up next to wide open brush.
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“The threat of their homes, just because of those high winds, the embers can travel a long distance,” said Paradise. “Fire travels very quickly.”
Wise County first responders said Friday’s fire conditions will be very similar to the ones that caused the last major blaze there: a brush fire on Valentine’s Day 2021 that scorched more than 300 acres.
Firefighters called on the community to follow burn bans and have an evacuation plan for a worst-case wildfire.
“These fires can get away from us quickly,” said Paradise. “So that’s a big concern, is just property.”
