The risk of wildfires in the Midwest is increasing

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning for the central and northern Plains on Wednesday as favorable weather prevails in the region.

Strong winds coupled with low humidity led the NWS Storm Prediction Center to raise the level of concern to “critical” for southern South Dakota, much of Nebraska and northern Kansas. “Enhanced” fire weather is also expected from central Nevada to western Utah.

Critical fire weather forecasts are issued when sustained winds in excess of 20 miles per hour encounter low humidity and temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the NWS, dry fuels on the ground can easily ignite when dry thunderstorms bring light to high-risk areas.

“A strong surface cyclone (below 1,000 mb) will develop over eastern Montana on Monday, with strong winds expected across much of the central and northern Plains,” the NWS said in its forecast.

“This is due to the narrow pressure gradient between this low pressure area and the strong high pressure area over the Tennessee Valley. The strongest winds are expected from west-central Kansas to southern South Dakota, where sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph are possible.”

The critical fire weather areas are determined by the intersection of these conditions with humidity as low as 20 percent.

“Fires can break out quickly on days like these; even a small spark on the ground can spread quickly,” NWS meteorologist Michaela Wood said previously Newsweek.

According to a post from the NWS office in Hastings

“We have a lot of plants that turn green in the summer and then kind of dry out in the fall. So now we have a lot of dry fuel all over the area,” said Wood, who lives in Nebraska. said.

“The other thing is that our relative humidity is low, so the air is very dry. This will be met by some strong, dusty winds, and when all of that comes together, small fires can quickly get out of control.”

The NWS also highlighted the fire danger for the Gulf Coast, stating: “Dry and windy offshore flows are possible across portions of the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, with relative humidity of 20 to 30 percent and surface winds of 10 to 15 mph.”

“The strongest winds are currently only forecast near the coast, where fuels are not as receptive. The only exception is in central Louisiana, where some stronger winds are possible.”

The NWS warnings come as the country remains at wildfire preparedness level 5, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Active fires in the U.S. currently cover 545,991 acres, including the largely uncontained Elk Fire in Wyoming and the Red Rock and Garden Fires in Idaho.

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