North Texans stocking up on firewood, other essentials ahead of arctic blast
NORTH TEXAS - The arctic blast is expected to hit North Texas Saturday night, which gives people less than 24 hours or so to prepare for the dangerously low temperatures.
"We're getting ready for the cold, so we got toilet paper, paper towels, water," said Sydney Marek, who went to the grocery store on Friday evening. "They had everything. Nothing was missing except the beer."
She wants to get all her shopping done now. If the roads get bad on Sunday or Monday, Marek doesn't plan on leaving the house.
"Because last year I wrecked my car on the ice," she said. "That's not happening this year."
No one wants their pipes to freeze and then burst either.
"They had a big display of this and it seemed like everybody in the store was running for this, grabbing at least one or two of them," said JJ Lozoya, who bought two faucet covers at Home Depot at his neighbor's suggestion.
He moved to Fort Worth from Las Vegas in the New Year and has never had to deal with the bitter cold before.
"I've heard about letting the faucets drip and keeping cabinets open, stuff like that," Lozoya said. "So we'll see how it goes."
North Texans who vividly remember the deep freeze in February 2021 that left millions across the state without power are making sure to stock up on firewood.
"That's what we lived off of those 3 days," said Jonathan Cardona. "We had enough firewood, so we had our fireplace on the whole time because we were out of power for 3 days."
Four full trailers of firewood went quickly Friday at a spot off Basswood Boulevard near I-35 W.
"We've had a line all the way down the road here to the traffic light, just people waiting," said Douglas Broadway, who brought firewood to sell from Bowie.
He and other sellers will be back out bright and early Saturday morning, and they expect even more people then.
"I just love doing it, I love being out here with the people," Broadway said. "But sadly, the only time you can be out here selling firewood? When it's freezing cold."
It's not just your home you need to get prepared now.
If you know you have to be out on the road in the coming days, it's a good idea to check the air on all your tires and make sure you have a full tank of gas.
Put extra clothes and blankets in your car as well. That way if you do get stranded on the side of the road without heat, you can use those to stay warm.