Wildfire, Collin
- When
- February 15, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Collin County, Princeton
- Coordinates
- 33.188, -96.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wildfire in Texas, February 15, 1996
The combination of dormant winter vegetation and prolonged dry weather conditions resulted in a high fire danger during much of the month. The fire danger increased during the latter half of the month as temperatures climbed to record levels on several days, humidities fell into the teens and low level winds became strong and gusty.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
The combination of dormant winter vegetation and prolonged dry weather conditions resulted in a high fire danger during much of the month. The fire danger increased during the latter half of the month as temperatures climbed to record levels on several days, humidities fell into the teens and low level winds became strong and gusty. Burning bans were posted as a precautionary measure but over 250 major grassfires (none of which were started by weather phenomena) occurred with more than 75,000 acres burned. Many homes were burned down and numerous minor injuries (mainly to firemen) resulted.Grassfires destroyed 5 homes in Princeton.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in Nebraska, February 15, 1996
- High Wind in Iowa, February 15, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 15, 1996
- High Wind in Colorado, February 15, 1996
- High Wind in Missouri, February 15, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, February 15, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, February 15, 1996
- Hail in Georgia, February 15, 1996
More
Every storm in Texas in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, February 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5536634.