The National Weather Service had 50 active Red Flag Warnings in effect Tuesday, up from 45 Monday, as critical fire weather conditions expanded across Utah’s canyon country and the Columbia River Gorge even as the warning footprint tightened to 10 states from 11.
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming all carry active warnings today. North Dakota and Nebraska, both on Monday’s list, have dropped off, while Nevada — which had cycled off the list Monday after joining Sunday — is back on it.
The sharpest conditions are concentrated in Utah, where the Western Uintah Basin faces west winds of 10 to 20 mph gusting to 35 mph alongside relative humidity as low as 9 to 12 percent with poor overnight recovery, according to the National Weather Service. The San Rafael Swell is under similar strain, with northwest winds gusting to 30 mph and humidity dropping to 5 to 10 percent. The agency warns that under those conditions, any new fire start or existing fire could spread rapidly.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Western Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and Washington is under warning through Wednesday evening, with easterly winds gusting up to 38 mph — the strongest expected this morning into early afternoon — combining with dry conditions to produce critical fire weather, the National Weather Service said.
Colorado’s high country remains heavily represented among today’s alerts, with warnings spanning Park, Clear Creek, Jackson, Gilpin, Summit and Grand counties, including zones above and below 9,000 feet, along with the White River and Colorado River Headwaters areas and the state’s southwest lower forecast area.
The National Weather Service says a Red Flag Warning means critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent, with a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures capable of contributing to extreme fire behavior. Residents in warned areas are urged to avoid outdoor burning and any activity that could spark a fire.
With the alert count rising for a third straight day and warnings now stretching from Utah’s basins to the Oregon-Washington border, fire weather officials will be watching whether the pattern holds through midweek or begins to ease as the footprint narrows toward the interior Rockies.