Critical Fire Weather Prompts Red Flag Warnings In New Mexico, Colorado And 4 Other States

Fire danger to remain high in several areas of New Mexico, Colorado and other neighboring states as strong, gusty winds can spread any fire that may trigger Wednesday. Multiple red flag warnings have been issued in anticipation of critical fire weather in affected areas.

"The strengthening winds and very dry ground conditions will continue to support a broad Critical Fire Weather area issued by SPC (Storm Prediction Center), with a large area of New Mexico, eastern Colorado, western Nebraska, western Kansas and parts of the OK/TX panhandles already under Red Flag Warnings," the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said late Tuesday.

In New Mexico, officials at the NWS Albuquerque said maximum wind gusts of up to 52 mph are possible in the village of Roy, up to 53 mph in the city of Las Vegas, San Miguel County, and up to 55 mph expected in the Clines Corners community in Torrance County. Surrounding areas may see wind gusts of anywhere between 41 mph to 49 mph.

"A three-day stretch of widespread critical fire weather conditions begins Tuesday, and peaks in intensity Wednesday. Rapid fire spread will be possible from any new spark" in New Mexico, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, as per Albuquerque Journal.

Weather officials are also expecting the windiest and driest conditions in the eastern part of the state Wednesday. Fire danger levels may be raised from high to very high, officials warned.

Over in Colorado, critical fire weather conditions are expected in the Colorado Springs area starting 11 a.m., with peak afternoon wind gusts possibly reaching up to 45 mph, KOAA News5 reported. Fire weather conditions are expected to taper off Wednesday evening as a cold front enters from the north that could possibly bring some snow or rain showers.

In Kansas, officials at the NWS in Dodge City issued red flag warnings for 10 areas, cautioning of combined strong winds and warm temperatures that can contribute to "extreme fire behavior."

Officials at the NWS in Norman warned of high fire danger in parts of western Oklahoma. Fire danger is expected to increase during Wednesday afternoon through the early evening hours.

Several red flag warnings have been issued in Texas, with some areas expected to see wind gusts of up to 40 mph that could contribute to critical fire weather conditions.

In Arizona, gusty winds combined with dry conditions could "elevate" fire danger, the NWS in Phoenix said.

Fire Alerts in New Mexico

Red flag warning effective through 8 p.m. Wednesday:

• Chaves County Plains, Eddy Plains, Lea, Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe Mountains (wind gusts of up to 55 mph possible)

Red flag warning effective through 9 p.m. Wednesday:

• Southwest Mountains, southwest Deserts and Lowlands, southern Rio Grande Valley, south central Lowlands, Capitan Mountains and Sacramento Mountains (outdoor burning discouraged

Red flag warnings effective through 10 p.m. Wednesday:

• East central and northeast Plains, central and northeast Highlands, northwest Plateau, west central Mountains, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, upper Rio Grande Valley, west central Basin and Range and lower Chama River Valley
• North central Mountains, middle Rio Grande Valley, Sandia Mountains and Manzano Mountains

Fire Alerts in Colorado

Red flag warnings effective through 9 p.m. Wednesday:

• Huerfano, Pueblo and western Las Animas County, including Trinidad, Thatcher, Pueblo and Walsenburg
• San Luis Valley including Alamosa, Del Norte, Fort Garland and Saguache (wind gusts of up to 60 mph possible)
• Baca, Bent, Crowley, eastern Las Animas County, Otero, Prowers, and southern El Paso County including Colorado Springs and Fort Carson

Fire weather watch effective from 11 a.m. through 8 p.m. Thursday:

• San Luis Valley

Fire Alerts in Kansas

Red flag warnings effective through 9 p.m. Wednesday:

• Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton and Stevens
• Barber, Clark, Comanche and Meade

Fire Alerts in Oklahoma

Red flag warning effective through 9 p.m. Wednesday:

• Alfalfa, Blaine, Custer, Beckham, Greer, Dewey, Ellis, Roger Mills, Jackson, Harper, Harmon, Kiowa, Major, Woodward, Woods and Washita

Red flag warning effective through 11 p.m. Wednesday:

• Beaver, Cimarron and Texas

Fire Alerts in Texas

Red flag warnings effective through 9 p.m. Wednesday:

• Foard, Hardeman and Knox
• Davis Mountains, Glasscock, Scurry, Ward, Reeves County Plains, Ector Midland and Mitchell

Red flag warning effective through 10 p.m. Wednesday:

• El Paso and Hudspeth

Red flag warnings effective through 11 p.m. Wednesday:

• Armstrong, Carson, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Palo Duro Canyon, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman and Wheeler
• Bailey, Briscoe, Castro, Cochran, Crosby, Flyod, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Parmer, Swisher, Terry and Yoakum
• Childress, Cottle, Dickens, Hall, Kent, King, Motley and Stonewall

Fire Alert in Arizona

Red flag warning effective through 7 p.m. Wednesday:

• San Carlos Apache Nation in Graham County