Red Flag Warning Issued for Southern and Central Colorado Through Friday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert is currently in effect and remains active through 8:00 PM MDT on Friday, March 13. A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued for Saturday.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several regions in Southern and Central Colorado, including:

• Fremont County: Including Canon City, Howard, and Texas Creek
• San Luis Valley: Including Alamosa, Del Norte, Fort Garland, and Saguache
• El Paso County: Including Monument, Black Forest, Fort Carson, and Colorado Springs
• Pueblo County: Including Pueblo
• Huerfano County: Including Walsenburg
• Western Las Animas County: Including Trinidad and Thatcher

What You Should Do

Residents are urged to prepare for critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning indicates that extreme fire behavior is possible due to the combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures. Fires that develop could spread uncontrollably and become very destructive. Residents should stay informed by listening for later forecasts and potential updates.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: For Friday, west winds of 10 to 20 mph are expected with gusts reaching 35 mph. On Saturday, winds are forecast to increase to 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 9 percent.
• Hazards: Extreme fire danger is expected due to the combination of dry conditions and high winds.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT on Friday, March 13. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening.