Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch Issued for New Mexico Central Highlands

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning and a Fire Weather Watch for parts of New Mexico. The Red Flag Warning is currently in effect for areas east of the central mountain chain and will be in effect for the Central Highlands on Friday. A Fire Weather Watch is also in effect for Saturday.

Affected Areas

The primary area affected is the Central Highlands (Zone 125). The Fire Weather Watch for Saturday extends to West Central New Mexico, Northern New Mexico, and the Sandia and Manzano Mountains.

What You Should Do

Residents are strongly advised that outdoor burning should not be done, as any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and may become hard to control. Local officials and fire crews in the field should be notified of these critical conditions.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: West-northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph today and Friday. On Saturday, gusts could reach up to 55 mph, particularly in the evening.
• Humidity: Minimum relative humidity values will range between 10 and 13 percent today, dropping further to between 8 and 9 percent on Friday and Saturday.
• Temperature: High temperatures are forecast to be 8 to 15 degrees above the 1991-2020 averages.
• Fire Behavior: Conditions will support rapid fire spread. On Saturday, extreme fire behavior and long-range spotting are possible.

Timeline

• Today (March 12): Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 8:00 PM MDT.
• Friday (March 13): Red Flag Warning in effect from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM MDT.
• Saturday (March 14): Fire Weather Watch in effect from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM MDT.