Red Flag Warning Issued for Palmer Divide and Eastern Colorado Plains Through Tuesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. The alert is issued by NWS Denver CO and remains in effect through Tuesday evening.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the Palmer Divide and the Eastern Plains south of I-76. Specific affected regions include:

• Elbert County
• Central and East Douglas Counties (Above 6000 Feet)
• Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties
• North and Northeast Elbert County (Below 6000 Feet)
• North and South Lincoln County
• Washington County

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised to avoid all outdoor burning. Any activity that may produce a spark should be avoided to prevent the start of a wildfire. A Red Flag Warning indicates that a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior and rapid fire spread.

Expected Conditions

Extremely critical fire weather conditions are possible with the following parameters:

• Winds: On Monday, south winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are expected. On Tuesday, conditions intensify with west winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts reaching up to 60 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 10 percent.
• Impacts: These conditions are highly favorable for the rapid spread of fire.

Timeline

The alert follows two specific windows of concern:

• Monday: The initial warning period is in effect until 6:00 PM MST this evening.
• Tuesday: A second Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST Tuesday, February 17.