RED FLAG WARNING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR
THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF WESTERN COLORADO AND NORTHEAST UTAH
A POWERFUL PACIFIC STORM WILL BRING WIDESPREAD RED FLAG CONDITIONS TO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF WESTERN COLORADO AND NORTHEAST UTAH SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. BY NOON SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH...GUSTING FREQUENTLY TO 30 TO 40 MPH...AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO LESS THAN 15 PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...COUPLED WITH DORMANT FUELS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 8 PM MDT...CREATING CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH WILD FIRES OR HUMAN CAUSED FIRES
MAY GROW RAPIDLY AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A RED
FLAG WARNING FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS...
WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR ALL AREAS
BELOW 7000 FEET ELEVATION.
IN UTAH...
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 429 NORTHWEST TAVAPUTS PLATEAU...
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 430 WESTERN UINTA BASIN...
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 442 EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS (BELOW 7000 FEET)
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 443 EASTERN UINTA BASIN
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 444 EAST TAVAPUTS PLATEAU (BELOW 7000 FEET)
* WINDS...BECOMING SOUTHWEST 20 MPH GUSTING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH BY
NOON.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...LOWERING TO 10 TO 15 PERCENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...ALONG WITH DEAD AND
DORMANT FUELS...MAY LEAD TO CONTROL PROBLEMS ON ANY WILD FIRES
THAT START OR HUMAN CAUSED FIRES. EVEN SIMPLE AGRICULTURAL BURNS
RISK LOSS OF CONTROL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND AFFECTED FIELD
PERSONNEL OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.