Red Flag Warning Issued for Northern El Paso County Through Thursday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning for Northern El Paso County. The alert was issued on February 25 at 11:41 AM MST and is in response to critical fire weather conditions expected in the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers Fire Weather Zone 226 in Colorado. Specific locations within the affected area include:

• Northern El Paso County
• Monument
• Black Forest

What You Should Do

Residents and visitors in the warning area are urged to exercise extreme caution with any outdoor burning. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Fires that start under these conditions will catch and spread quickly.

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions in the affected zone are expected to reach hazardous levels:

• Winds: Northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Humidity levels will drop significantly, ranging between 10 to 15 percent.
• Impacts: Rapid fire spread is likely if ignition occurs.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning for Thursday is effective from 11:00 AM MST on February 26 through 6:00 PM MST on February 26. An existing warning also remains in effect until 5:00 PM MST this afternoon, February 25.