Posts in category: Weather

What is a Red Flag Warning?

A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.

-If you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.

-Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.

-Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.

-Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.

Red Flag Warning issued July 19 at 2:47AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 10 AM this morning to midnight CDT tonight.

AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone

096 Red River, Fire Weather Zone 097 Bowie, Fire Weather Zone 108 Franklin, Fire Weather Zone 109 Titus, Fire Weather Zone 110 Camp, Fire Weather Zone 111 Morris, Fire Weather Zone 112 Cass, Fire Weather Zone 124 Wood, Fire Weather Zone 125 Upshur and Fire Weather Zone 136 Smith.

* TIMING… Most dangerous in the afternoon, with higher wind speeds and lower MinRH values.

* WINDS…Southwest 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 20 percent.

* TEMPERATURES…Between 100-108 degrees.

* IMPACTS…Wildfires will have the potential to grow and spread rapidly. Any activities that could start a wildfire should be avoided.

Burning of any kind is strongly discouraged and may be unlawful in some counties.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Source: NWS

90-Day Burn Ban Issued in Smith County on July 5, 2022 

The Smith County Commissioners Court voted on Tuesday, July 5, to issue a burn ban for the County. The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early. 

Storms tore through Tyler last night, causing quite a bit of damage. Dozens of fallen trees, and power poles snapped in half, and thousands were left without power. Many homes and vehicles were destroyed as a result of the storm.

A few Intersections and roads are still blocked by fallen trees and debris. Intersections without power, usually controlled by traffic lights, are to be considered a 4-way stop.

City of Tyler, Texas Government, City of Tyler Police Department, City of Tyler Fire Department, Oncor, and many others have been working around the clock to restore Tyler to normal.

Here are just a few pictures of the damage.

After a harsh winter storm hit East Texas bringing sub-freezing temperatures for an extended period of time, the Tyler Fire Department has been faced with an abnormally high incident-load that has kept crews on their trucks for most of the day. Incidents ranging from motor vehicle accidents, technical rescues, commercial/residential fire alarms, to assist the public calls, structure fires, assist EMS and medical calls, all in a single day. While these incidents are not uncommon, to have a high load of any sort of call can be out of the ordinary, and the winter weather is definitely to blame.

According to Oncor, at the time of this article, more than 11,000 customers are currently affected by power outages here in Smith County at the time of this posting. Because of this, residents are struggling to keep themselves and their homes warm. Water lines inside the walls are becoming more vulnerable as temperatures decrease and as a result, lines are breaking causing damage and flooding. Today in Tyler, this was a reality for many, as homes and apartment complexes dripped and filled with water from broken lines. Tyler Fire Department crews were the first to be called to come to aid and turn off the water to the residence after several homes flooded, some with minor to severe damage. Crews also faced line breaks in commercial fire suppression systems that triggered alarms and flow sensors. Several structure fires also came out and were the result of those trying to stay warm inside.

For us at RCE Media, it has been hard to pinpoint the exact number of incidents that the Tyler Fire Department has responded to but, between the hours of 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM on February 16th, we counted 33 incidents mainly being related to broken water lines, with a motor vehicle accident, several commercial fire alarms and a structure fire. If you are any sort of math wiz then you might see that in an hour and a half, TFD responded to a new incident every 3 minutes, and things were at a similar pace for most of the day. 

The Tyler Police Department and UT Health EMS have been just as busy responding to incidents across the city as well. If you see any emergency vehicle out on the road with their lights on, it is important that you still pull over and give them plenty of room so that they can safely pass. Response times are slower than usual due to road conditions and the high incident load.

Please turn to the City of Tyler Government social media pages for updates and accurate information regarding the city’s water systems, and other key information. There are multiple warming centers spread across Tyler where those needing a warm place can go. Warming Centers open after-hours/overnight in Tyler for residents without power, heat | Tyler, TX