Red Flag Warning Issued for Capitan and Sacramento Mountains Through Sunday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert is driven by a combination of strong winds, critically low relative humidity, and temperatures well above seasonal averages caused by high pressure and a passing trough.

Affected Areas

The warning covers Fire Weather Zone 113, encompassing the Capitan and Sacramento Mountains, including the Lincoln National Forest. Forecasters indicate the highest threat is located on the eastern slopes of the Sacramento Mountains.

What You Should Do

Residents are advised that any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly due to the prevailing conditions. Outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning signifies that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent, and residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: On Saturday, west to southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph are expected. Conditions will intensify Saturday night through Sunday afternoon with northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts reaching 55 to 60 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity will drop as low as 7 to 10 percent, with poor overnight recovery limited to 18-28 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs will reach up to 76 degrees, averaging over 10 degrees above seasonal normals.
• Fire Threat Index: The Experimental RFTI is rated at 4 to 5, representing marginally critical to critical levels.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective from 3:00 PM MDT Saturday, March 14, through 6:00 PM MDT Sunday, March 15.