Red Flag Warning Issued for Southeast New Mexico and Gaines County, Texas Through Tuesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa TX has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert is triggered by a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity, which significantly increases the potential for fire growth.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions:

• New Mexico: Chaves County Plains, Eddy Plains, and Lea County.
• Texas: Gaines County.

The alert also encompasses the Southeast New Mexico Plains, Upper Trans Pecos, Van Horn Corridor, Davis Mountains, and Marfa Plateau.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised that any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. Residents should prepare for hazardous fire conditions and stay tuned for further updates from local authorities.

Expected Conditions

For Tuesday, southwest winds are expected to reach speeds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph. Relative humidity is forecast to drop as low as 17 percent. The Red Flag Threat Index (RFTI) is currently rated between 4 and 6, representing near-critical to critical fire danger levels.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11:00 AM CST (10:00 AM MST) to 8:00 PM CST (7:00 PM MST) on Tuesday, February 17.

A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued for Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening. Conditions on Wednesday are expected to include southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph and relative humidity as low as 12 percent.