The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for Central Oregon yesterday morning (www.wrh.noaa.gov/pdt/). Fire officials and Project Wildfire are encouraging residents to be prepared for possible wildfires by keeping tuned in to local news and weather broadcasts.
The National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings & Fire Weather Watches to alert fire agencies of the onset, or possible onset, of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. During these times extreme caution is urged by all residents, because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire.
A Red Flag Warning is the highest forecast warning issued by the National Weather Service to warn of conditions that are ideal for wildland fire ignition and propagation. When humidity is very low, wildland fuels are extremely dry and when high winds are accompanied with multiple lightning strikes, the Red Flag Warning becomes a critical statement for firefighting agencies, which often alter their staffing and equipment resources dramatically to accommodate the forecast risk. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of a quickly spreading vegetation fire in the area within 24 hours.
A separate but less imminent forecast may include a Fire Weather Watch, which is issued to alert fire and land management agencies to the possibility that Red Flag conditions may exist beyond the first forecast period (12 hours). The watch is issued generally 12 to 48 hours in advance of the expected conditions, but can be issued up to 72 hours in advance if the National Weather Service is reasonably confident.
The weather criteria for fire weather watches and red flag warnings varies with each Weather Service Office’s warning area based on the local vegetation type, topography, and distance from major water sources but usually includes the daily vegetation moisture content calculations, expected afternoon high temperature, afternoon minimum relative humidity and daytime wind speed and/or the prediction of lightning.
Project Wildfire reminds residents to be prepared this fire season by creating and maintaining defensible space around their properties.
For additional tips, residents can visit www.projectwildfire.org or www.firefree.org. For more information contact the Project Wildfire office at 541-322-7129.
