Red Flag Warning Issued for Southwest Kansas: Critical Fire Conditions Expected Tuesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. This alert, which replaces a previous Fire Weather Watch, was issued due to the combination of strong winds and low relative humidity expected in the region.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts a significant portion of southwest Kansas, covering the following counties and Fire Weather Zones:

• Northern/Central Zones: Trego, Ellis, Scott, Lane, Ness, and Rush.
• Central/Western Zones: Hamilton, Kearny, Finney, Hodgeman, Pawnee, and Stafford.
• Southern/Southwestern Zones: Stanton, Grant, Haskell, Gray, Ford, Edwards, Kiowa, Pratt, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Meade, Clark, Comanche, and Barber.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are strongly advised to avoid all outdoor burning. According to the National Weather Service, any fire that develops under these conditions will catch and spread quickly. A Red Flag Warning signifies that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents should remain vigilant as the combination of strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Southwest winds between 25 and 45 mph are forecast, with gusts potentially reaching 50 mph and higher.
• Relative Humidity: Humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 10 percent.
• Impacts: Critical fire weather conditions will facilitate rapid fire growth and difficult containment for any new ignitions.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective on Tuesday, February 17, from 12:00 PM CST (11:00 AM MST) until 8:00 PM CST (7:00 PM MST).