Red Flag Warning Issued for Southeast Colorado Counties Through Tuesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. This alert replaces the previously issued Fire Weather Watch for the region.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following areas in Colorado:

• Crowley County: Including Ordway
• Otero County: Including La Junta and Western Comanche Grasslands
• Eastern Las Animas County: Including Pinon Canyon
• Kiowa County: Including Eads
• Bent County: Including Las Animas
• Prowers County: Including Lamar
• Baca County: Including Springfield and Eastern Comanche Grasslands

This alert covers Fire Weather Zones 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, and 237.

What You Should Do

Residents are advised to prepare for critical fire weather. A Red Flag Warning means that conditions for extreme fire behavior are either occurring or imminent. Because of the combination of strong winds and low humidity, any fires that develop will catch and spread rapidly and erratically. Outdoor burning should be avoided.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: West winds of 30 to 40 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 60 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 10 percent.
• Impacts: Elevated fire danger is expected across all affected zones due to the dry and windy conditions.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST on Tuesday, February 17.