At 10:47 a.m., U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works outside Pittsburgh — a sprawling riverside industrial facility and the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere — erupted in an ear-piercing boom.

A serious fire weather risk is developing in the Plains, where strong winds, warm temperatures and extremely dry conditions are combining through Feb. 18 to potentially create dangerous circumstances.

Six months later, workers remain rattled and community concerns about air pollution from the plant are heightened.

Deadly fires and 70 mph winds slam Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas while a blizzard nears the Midwest. Get real-time maps, road closures, and evacuation alerts here.