Several grass fires broke out across North Texas as triple-digit heat and gusty winds created dangerous conditions.
Here’s what to know
North Texas reached its 20th 100-degree day of the year last Thursday, matching the average for a typical summer, and grass fires were reported in Grand Prairie, Saginaw, and Payne Springs, according to The Dallas Express. They pushed smoke over highways, prompting evacuations and even burning through an electrical pole.
A separate fire in Chico prompted the temporary relocation of elementary school students. Chico Elementary School students were taken to Chico High School in case smoke entered the elementary school’s HVAC system. They later returned after firefighters extinguished the nearby blaze, which flared up once more before crews put it out.
The fires caused several road closures, though no structures were damaged, the outlet reported.
Why is this important?
Hotter temperatures, driven by human activity, are to blame for the influx of intense wildfires and other extreme weather events. Dried-out vegetation and wind create the perfect storm to help flames spread fast, leaving communities to deal with road closures, smoke exposure, evacuations, and threats to power infrastructure…