Red Flag Warning Issued for Southwest Mountains and Gila National Forest
Critical fire weather conditions including high winds and low humidity are expected Saturday afternoon across Southwest New Mexico.
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 was issued on March 13 and remains in effect for the specified window on Saturday.
Affected Areas
The warning covers Fire Weather Zone 110, which includes the Southwest Mountains, Gila National Forest, and Apache National Forest. This encompasses high exposed areas and the eastern slopes of the region’s mountains.
What You Should Do
Residents are advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning indicates that a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: West to northwest winds between 15 and 25 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph.
- Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 9 percent, with a range of 7 to 11 percent.
- Temperatures: Highs are expected to reach up to 76 degrees, which is well above seasonal averages.
- Experimental RFTI: Values of 4 to 5, indicating marginally critical to critical conditions.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 3:00 PM MDT to 10:00 PM MDT on Saturday, March 14. Additional fire weather concerns are noted for Sunday afternoon.
Source: NOAA Official Notice
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