Red Flag Warning Issued for Upper Arkansas River Valley Through Saturday Night
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Lake and Chaffee counties on Saturday as NWS Pueblo warns of 60 mph wind gusts and dangerously low humidity levels.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Upper Arkansas River Valley. This alert is triggered by the combination of strong winds and low relative humidity, creating critical fire weather conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically covers Fire Weather Zone 220, which includes:
- Lake County
- Chaffee County
- Upper Arkansas River Valley
What You Should Do
Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution with any outdoor burning or activities that could spark a fire. A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. Fires that start under these conditions will catch and spread rapidly. Residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: For Saturday, west winds are expected to reach 25 to 35 mph, with powerful gusts up to 60 mph. (Winds today are expected between 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph).
- Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 11 percent.
- Impacts: The combination of high winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures will contribute to extreme fire behavior.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is officially in effect from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM MDT on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Source: NOAA Official Notice
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