The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a “red flag warning” for 11 states this Friday, signaling heightened wildfire risks.
Wyoming is seeing a significant red flag warning, as well as large areas of Idaho, South Dakota, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Nebraska. Additionally, smaller regions of northern California, southern Montana, northern Colorado, and eastern Washington are under similar alerts.
According to the NWS, a red flag warning is issued when weather conditions favor the rapid spread of fires, which can become dangerous. Importantly, this warning doesn’t indicate an active fire; it signifies that risky conditions are either present or on the horizon.
While many warnings are set to expire by evening, several areas in Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota may remain on alert until Saturday afternoon.
National Weather Service / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
The NWS uses red flag warnings to inform people about critical fire-weather conditions that significantly elevate wildfire risks. These alerts are typically based on low humidity, high winds, dry vegetation, and warm temperatures.
When humidity drops, the chance of igniting fires increases, especially with strong winds that can rapidly spread flames. Furthermore, dry weather and high temperatures can desiccate vegetation, making dry grasses, trees, and shrubs prime fuel for widespread fires.
The NWS’s Pendleton, Oregon office noted that as a Pacific cold front moves through the Pacific Northwest, dry air and gusty winds would create a high risk for fires spreading in central and eastern Oregon.
Similar conditions of low humidity and strong winds are affecting all the warning states, with some areas in Colorado possibly experiencing record high temperatures for this season.
NWS Denver/Boulder highlighted that gusty winds would develop in the higher terrain of Colorado, with speeds up to 30 mph. Expected low humidity levels in the lower teens will exacerbate the situation. Saturday will also see gusty winds spreading across much of the region, coupled with very warm temperatures, potentially breaking records.
This situation arises while many areas in California are enduring unusually high temperatures, leading the NWS to issue various “heat advisories” and “excessive heat warnings,” forecasting temperatures as high as 114 degrees in some locales.