Y'all know I am a total weather geek. As a gardener, of course, it is important for us to watch temperatures, wind, rain/sleet/snow/frost, etc. To ignore the weather is to put our gardening activities at risk.

So, I am also the wife of a fire chief (volunteer) and the mother of a professional firefighter. Around our house, the fire weather predictions are, therefore, as important to them as the normal weather conditions are to me.

During the week ahead, we have very dangerous fire weather conditions that will occur virtually statewide on several days. On some days, the criteria will be met that lead to the issuance of Fire Weather Watches, Red Flag Warnings, etc.

This week, Monday's fire danger is predicted to be "Extreme', especially for far western and northwestern Oklahoma. However, virtually all the state is at risk. Thursday will be another very bad day.

When the fire danger is high, I always leave sprinklers hooked up and ready to turn on at the first sign of smoke in the immediate area. You always think it "won't happen" to you, but neighbors just two houses up from us had a wildfire threatening their brand-new home just a few weeks ago.

I guess all I'm saying is that it could be a bad fire week, so stay alert and be careful. I think that wildfire is more of an issue for those of us in the more rural areas, but with all the still-dormant vegetation, everyone is at risk to some degree.

Dawn