The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued urgent warnings about the risk of wildfires on Wednesday in the Central and Northern Plains due to favorable conditions for fire spread.
Strong winds and low humidity prompted a “critical” alert for areas including southern South Dakota, much of Nebraska, and northern Kansas. Additionally, regions from central Nevada to western Utah are expecting “elevated” fire weather conditions.
A “critical” fire weather forecast is triggered when winds exceed 20 miles per hour, combined with low humidity and temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The NWS emphasizes that dry fuels can ignite from lightning strikes in areas prone to dry thunderstorms.
“A significant surface cyclone is anticipated to form across eastern Montana, resulting in strong winds across the central and northern Plains,” the NWS noted.
“This phenomenon is caused by a tight pressure gradient between the developing low and a powerful high-pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. The strongest winds are expected to sweep from west-central Kansas to southern South Dakota, potentially reaching sustained speeds of 25 to 30 mph.”
Key regions at risk are identified by the overlap of strong winds and humidity levels dropping as low as 20 percent.
This heightened fire weather risk might persist into Thursday in certain areas, as reported by the NWS Hastings office on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“In our region, many plants go green in summer, then dry out in fall, leading to significant dry fuel accumulation,” said Wood, a local expert in Nebraska. “Low humidity levels combined with strong, gusty winds mean small fires can escalate quickly.”
Furthermore, the NWS has pointed out fire weather risks along the Gulf Coast, indicating dry and breezy offshore winds could challenge conditions there as well, with humidity levels of 20 to 30 percent and surface winds of 10 to 15 mph.
The most robust winds are predicted close to the coast, where fuels are less likely to ignite, with central Louisiana being the only area with potentially stronger winds.
These warnings come at a time when the entire country is on heightened wildfire alert, classified as preparedness Level 5, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Currently, wildfires are consuming 545,991 acres nationwide, including the largely uncontained Elk Fire in Wyoming and the Red Rock and Garden Fires in Idaho.