Fire Danger Continues Through the Weekend Across Central States

As heat builds across the western states, precipitation has also been hard to come by. Along with low humidities and breezy conditions, the increasing fire danger has prompted widespread Red Flag Watches and Warnings for the upcoming weekend!

For this weekend, fire alerts have been issued from the Black Hills of South Dakota, south through the Texas Panhandle.

While the actual temperatures of this heatwave have been the main focus, increasing temperatures lead to low relative humidities. While cities such as Denver and Amarillo feel the hottest March days ever, single-digit humidity levels look likely. Winds will kick up at times, too, in response to systems riding around the periphery of the upper-level heat dome.

The Storm Prediction Center has also highlighted areas of the greatest fire danger, with Wyoming being a particular focus through Saturday.

24 Fire

Unfortunately, some fires have already sparked and continue to grow. The 24 Fire, located to the southwest of Colorado Springs, has expanded to over 1000 acres after breaking out earlier on Wednesday morning.