Map shows where there is now a “critical” wildfire risk in the southern US

Large portions of the Southern Plains and Southwest are on high alert today as conditions are ripe for wildfires to start and spread across the region.

“The combination of unusually high temperatures and strong winds will result in critical fire weather conditions across much of the area,” the National Weather Service said in its fire weather outlook on Monday.

Much of Oklahoma, parts of northern Texas, southeastern Colorado and Kansas are also under Red Flag Warnings – a type of weather warning issued by the NWS for areas where extra caution is required to avoid wildfires.

In conversation with Newsweeksaid NWS meteorologist Robb Lawson that fire conditions are expected to continue through today and tomorrow as wind gusts of 50 miles per hour sweep through the region.

“For the most part, tomorrow we won't have an alert like we did today, mostly just because the humidity will be a little higher tomorrow,” he said.

A corridor of low relative humidity and strong winds is expected to overlap and extend across the eastern Texas Panhandle, western Oklahoma and southern Kansas, according to the NWS. Dry fuel on the ground could quickly ignite.

Lawson advised people in affected areas to avoid any outdoor burning, such as campfires, for the next few days. You should also be careful when disposing of cigarette butts.

Where burning is necessary, the NWS urges people to never leave it unattended and to properly extinguish flames by drowning them in water and stirring to ensure everything is cool to the touch.

“Sparks or embers can penetrate leaves or grass, starting a fire and spreading quickly,” the NWS said on its website.

Dozens of record temperatures are expected from Texas to Minnesota over the next 48 hours, raising the risk of fires.

Fires also require fuel to burn, which has recently been created by unusually dry conditions. According to the United States Drought Monitor, all states in the U.S. are experiencing unusually dry or drought conditions in some regions.

The risk also extends to the Southwest and the Great Basin.

“Strong southwesterly flow is expected near the base of the upper trough before a cold front moves across the southern Great Basin and Southwest,” the NWS said.

“Downward flow and warm temperatures support relative humidity levels of 15 to 20 percent while surface winds increase to 15 to 20 mph.”

These conditions will result in an increased fire risk below critical levels throughout the region.

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