Red Flag Warning Issued for New Mexico's Central Highlands Due to Critical Fire Conditions
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Central Highlands as strong winds and low humidity create a high risk for rapid fire spread through Friday evening.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Central Highlands, New Mexico
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Albuquerque NM
Fire-weather notices describe conditions that can support rapid fire spread; they do not report that a fire is present. Check local emergency sources for any active incident.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central Highlands, New Mexico.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque, NM, has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Central Highlands. This alert is in response to critical fire weather conditions caused by the combination of strong winds and very low relative humidity.
Affected Areas
The primary area affected is the Central Highlands of New Mexico (Fire Weather Zone 125). The alert also notes a Fire Weather Watch for Saturday covering West Central NM, Northern NM, the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, and the Central Highlands.
What You Should Do
Outdoor burning is not recommended and is strongly discouraged. Any fires that develop under these conditions will likely spread rapidly and may become difficult to control. Residents should advise appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this warning. On Saturday, conditions may lead to long-range spotting and extreme fire behavior.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: West-northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected on Friday, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. On Saturday afternoon and evening, higher wind gusts of up to 55 mph are possible.
- Humidity: Minimum relative humidity values will drop to between 7 and 10 percent on both Friday and Saturday.
- Fire Hazard: Critical fire weather conditions are expected Friday, becoming more extreme and widespread over the weekend due to a strong jetstream over New Mexico.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is effective on Friday, March 13, from 12:00 PM until 8:00 PM MDT. A subsequent Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Saturday, March 14, from 12:00 PM until 10:00 PM MDT.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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