Red Flag Warning Issued for Western Oklahoma and Western North Texas Through Wednesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Norman, OK, has issued a Red Flag Warning for western Oklahoma and western North Texas. This alert indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will develop shortly. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures is expected to contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following regions:

• Oklahoma Counties: Harper, Woods, Alfalfa, Ellis, Woodward, Major, Roger Mills, Dewey, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Harmon, Greer, Kiowa, and Jackson.
• Texas Counties: Hardeman, Foard, and Knox.

What You Should Do

Outdoor burning is strictly not recommended during this period. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly due to the prevailing conditions. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution and prepare for hazardous fire weather.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Southwest to west winds of 20 to 35 mph are expected this afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 60 mph. On Wednesday, south to southwest winds will continue at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Winds will shift to the northwest on Thursday.
• Relative Humidity: Levels are forecast to drop as low as 10 percent through Thursday.
• Temperatures: Highs will reach up to 83°F this afternoon, with temperatures between 72 and 77°F on Wednesday and upper 50s to low 70s on Thursday.
• Fire Metrics: Fuels (ERC) are in the 70th-89th percentile, and the fire environment is rated between 6 and 8 out of 10.

Timeline

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 8:00 PM CST this evening, February 17. A second Red Flag Warning is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM CST on Wednesday, February 18. Additionally, a Fire Weather Watch has been issued from Thursday morning through Thursday evening.