Crossing your fingers

There will be a lot of antsy firemen, volunteer and paid, across the Texas Panhandle today. It will be a nervous time especially as it gets toward noon. Conditions will be unfortunately prime for an outbreak of wildfires.

Winds are expected at 25 to 35 mph with gusts of more than 50 mph. Even into the evening, the wind is expected to gust above 40 mph. With the lack of rain, the Panhandle, especially the eastern part, will be a tinderbox.

It won't take much of a spark to turn into something major. Memories are just way too fresh of March 2006 when 907,000 acres burned, 5,000 head of livestock were destroyed, and, more importantly, 11 were killed. That March 12 day for weather was about like this one today, Feb. 17.

If they can get through today, firemen will breathe a sigh of relief that a major bullet was dodged. The only thing is there will be many more antsy days like today as we get into the spring unless one thing happens -- RAIN!