The National Weather Service has posted 27 Red Flag Warnings across six states — Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington — as forecasters warn that dry conditions, low humidity and thunderstorm-driven winds are combining to raise the risk of fast-spreading wildfires.
In southeastern Idaho, a Red Flag Warning is in effect from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. MDT today for Fire Weather Zones 413 and 427, covering the Caribou Range/Caribou National Forest and the Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth National Forest/Twin Falls BLM lands south of the Snake River. The National Weather Service says scattered thunderstorms moving through the region Tuesday could bring critical fire weather conditions, with humidity dropping to 15 percent or lower.
In Alaska, warnings stretch across the Interior Seward Peninsula, Middle Yukon Valley, Northern Seward Peninsula, Upper Kobuk Valleys and Lower Koyukuk and Kobuk valleys, running from 10 a.m. Tuesday to midnight Tuesday night. The National Weather Service reports scattered thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 30 mph near storms, humidity as low as 30 percent, and highs in the upper 70s. A Fire Weather Watch follows for Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening in parts of the same area as dry conditions persist.
In Washington state, warnings cover the Okanogan Valley, Waterville Plateau, Western Columbia Basin and the Central Washington Cascade Foothills, where erratic winds and low humidity are expected to elevate fire behavior. Additional warnings are active in Arizona and Colorado, rounding out the six-state footprint.
The National Weather Service defines a Red Flag Warning as a signal that critical fire weather conditions are either underway or expected imminently — typically low relative humidity combined with gusty winds — and the alerts are aimed primarily at fire agencies and land managers, though the public is urged to avoid activities that could spark a blaze, including debris burning and equipment use that throws sparks.
The pattern reflects a broad swath of the West and Alaska simultaneously priming for fire risk, driven by a mix of thunderstorm outflow winds in Idaho and Alaska and dry, breezy conditions in the Pacific Northwest. Residents in and near the affected fire weather zones, including areas outside Boise weather and Spokane weather, should monitor local fire restrictions and avoid outdoor burning until conditions ease.
No containment or damage figures were available as of this report. The National Weather Service said it will update warnings as thunderstorm activity and humidity levels evolve through the week.