at 1:13 PM by Zack Leasor

Red Flag Warnings Cover 6 States

Much of the southwest United States is under a Red Flag Warning this afternoon which means that there is an increased risk for fire danger in these areas. A combination of high winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation has led to these conditions.  Check out this map with all the counties shaded in pink under a Red Flag Warning.

Active Alerts (Courtesy: NOAA)
Active Alerts (Courtesy: NOAA)

This does include the cities of Albuquerque, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas. Here is some of the text included in the warning from the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas:
STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SIERRA…
MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEVADA AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA TODAY AS A LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN. THE COMBINATION OF
GUSTY WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND DRY VEGETATION
WILL LEAD TO A HIGH WILDFIRE DANGER FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA.

Residents in areas under the Red Flag Warning will need to be careful over the next few days since if fire ignition occurs, there is potential for the fire to grow quickly and become widespread. There are already some ongoing wildfires in the southwest and these conditions will make it tougher for firefighters to battle them.