Fire weather: Monitoring 3 areas at risk

It’s that time of the season: - B big temperature changes, severe storms, and fire weather. Fall and spring are well known for heightening the fire risk across different parts of the country. Spring is notorious because for many regions we are coming out of the driest months and the dryness helps propagate fires.

As several fronts move in this week, dry air and low humidity will quickly follow the fronts. This also aids fire development.

On Monday afternoon, there is a critical risk for fire danger across northeastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, including the cities of Amarillo, Tx., and Hereford, NM. Right outside of this area, the fire risk is elevated across central and southern New Mexico and northwestern Texas. We expect the high pressure to strengthen and a low pressure exiting the Rockies will increase the winds across this area. Gusts could be up to 30 mph, especially during the late afternoon hours, when we forecast the fire risk to be the highest. Humidity values will be incredibly low - between 5 and 10 percent.

We are also monitoring two other areas with an elevated fire risk. One is located across eastern Wyoming and northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota. Winds will increase through the early afternoon hours, likely gusting above 20 mph. Humidity will also be very low, ranging between 8 and 13 percent. Any sparks could easily lead to fires and any fires that get started could quickly gain more territory and become uncontrollable.

Lastly, Northern South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia also have an elevated fire risk for this Monday afternoon through 8 p.m. The winds could gust between 20 and 30 mph, vegetation is exceptionally dry in this region. Low relative humidity values will be between 10 and 20 percent which could also help fires get started.

Residents are urged to practice caution in handling any activities that could involve sparks or fires and to properly discard any smoking materials. Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged across the mentioned areas on Monday.

The fire threat on Tuesday will be mainly focused on western Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico. Most of this area will be at the highest risk, a critical level, through the early evening hours.