AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It's no secret how dry our area is and the severe drought we're in.

But, it's when those conditions combine with our infamous Panhandle winds, mix in relative low humidities, and it's the perfect recipe for a grassfire that can quickly spark and spread.

That's exactly what our area is expecting the rest of the weekend, and into the weekend.

It's been almost a year since perfect conditions created this nightmare in Potter and Randall Counties.

Killing livestock and family pets, destroying dozens of homes, and leaving hundreds of our neighbors without roofs over their heads.

It's the return of those perfect conditions that has meteorologist and fire officials urging all of us to use caution.

"We could see some elevated fire weather conditions through the rest of the week and possible elevated to critical by the weekend. Low relative humidity and the strong winds will dry out the grasses and we need something to start it, some kind of ignition source," said Ken Schneider, National Weather Service.

"Right now, the main thing is have a plan. Know what you're going to do, watch what's going on, media stations play evacuations, heed those evacuations even if you don't want to if you can get out early it's a lot easier for you and for us," said Captain Wes Hall, Amarillo Fire Department.

It's important that, when you do hear about evacuations, you know what to do.

"Have an emergency kit ready to go, have your medications ready, a little bit of extra cash and maybe some water and a place to go," said Captain Hall.

But even before anything flares up, homeowners need to be proactive in protecting their homes, keeping a 30-foot area around the house clear of debris.

"Keep the gutters clean, keep the yard cut down, pick the leaves up from the winter and just generally do a spring clean up to keep everything that can burn away from the house, " said Captain Hall.

All good tips to keep your family and home safe during these devastating drought conditions.

Because of the elevated grassfire risk, Amarillo Fire Department will host a wildfire action planning town hall meeting Saturday, February 25th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Amarillo's Downtown Library location.

You can also find more information by click here.