Red Flag Warnings Spread Across the Western U.S. as Fire Weather Intensifies

Overview

• National Weather Service offices have issued Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches across parts of Oregon, Southern California, Colorado and the Mojave between June 22 and June 24, updating mid-June fire-weather alerts.
• Forecasts call for gusty winds with gusts near 30–35 mph in some zones and relative humidity plunging as low as about 6–13 percent, conditions that favor extreme fire behavior.
• NWS San Diego specifically warned of isolated to scattered elevated thunderstorms in Victor Valley that can produce lightning with little or no rainfall and erratic outflow winds capable of starting fires.
• Local agencies are advising no outdoor burning, urging people to avoid spark-producing activities, and staging crews and extra patrols because any new ignition could spread quickly.
• The cluster of warnings continues a broader pattern of hot, dry, windy weather across the West that raises the risk of multiple simultaneous fires and could stretch local firefighting resources if ignitions occur.