Red Flag Warning Issued for Parts of Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas Through Thursday Night

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Tulsa, OK, has issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. This alert signifies that a dangerous combination of weather conditions and dry vegetation is expected, which favors the rapid growth and spread of wildfires.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following counties:

• Northwest Arkansas: Crawford and Franklin counties.
• Eastern Oklahoma: Sequoyah, Pittsburg, and Haskell counties.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are strongly advised to avoid all outdoor burning. Any fires that develop under these conditions will likely spread rapidly and become difficult to control. Local authorities recommend preparing for potential fire hazards and monitoring local weather updates.

Expected Conditions

Critical fire weather conditions are expected to develop, including:

• Wind: West to west-northwest winds sustained at 15 to 25 mph, with gusts reaching between 30 and 40 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 10 to 20 percent.
• Temperature: Afternoon highs are expected to reach the mid 70s.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is officially in effect from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM CST on Thursday, February 19. The alert was originally issued by the NWS at 9:40 PM CST on Wednesday evening.