Rain in vain: Monday's drizzle did little to quench fire-prone Valley

McALLEN — Monday's spattering of moisture may be the last the Rio Grande Valley will see for a while.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service are predicting a return to dry weather today that could last through April.

"We might pick up some rainfall come late in the weekend," said Joseph Tomaselli, a meteorologist with the NWS in Brownsville.

Aside from that, it looks like a pretty dry forecast."

Nowhere in the Valley saw more than a quarter inch of rain Monday, he said.

High winds, high temperatures and low humidity could bring a repeat of 2008's drought and intense wildfire season.

Last year, just one blaze in northern Hidalgo County and Starr County incinerated more than 50,000 acres of bone-dry grass. Ranchers and firefighters are gearing up for more of the same.

Wildfires have scarred portions of Alton, Peñitas, north Edinburg, Starr County, Edcouch and Donna since Jan. 1. The causes ranged from an electrical fire on Moore Air Base to a sparks from an out-of-control car. But many small fires are caused by illegal trash burning, despite burn bans across the Valley.

Hidalgo County Emergency Management Coordinator Tony Peña said firefighters can only emphasize prevention and be ready to cooperate when large fires threaten.

This year, a text message alert system should make communication easier, Peña said. Rather than calling 15 or 20 fire departments to place them on alert, he can send a single text message, he said.

The county is working to add more ranchers to the alert system in order to spread the word quickly about fast-moving fires, he said.

____

Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.