Strong Winds, Single-Digit Humidity Raise Weekend Fire Risk
Critical fire weather is expected Friday and Saturday across much of the region east of the Cascades and parts of Northern California
FAST FACTS
Alert: Red Flag Warning
Where: Eastern Siskiyou County, Modoc County, Klamath County and Lake County
When: Friday and Saturday, with the greatest concern during the afternoon and evening
Winds: Southwest winds with gusts of 25–35 mph
Humidity: As low as 5–15%, with some areas potentially reaching single digits
Main Concern: Strong winds overlapping with very dry conditions could allow new fires to start easily and spread quickly
Outlook: Elevated to critical fire weather conditions may continue at times through the weekend
MEDFORD, Ore. — Strong afternoon winds and extremely dry air are expected to create another period of dangerous fire weather across parts of Southern Oregon and Northern California heading into the weekend.
The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Red Flag Warning from 1 p.m. Friday through 9 p.m. Saturday for a broad area that includes much of the region east of the Cascades, along with portions of Siskiyou and Modoc counties.
Forecasters say the greatest concern will come during the afternoon and evening hours Friday and Saturday, when dry conditions overlap with stronger winds.
Relative humidity could fall as low as 5% to 15%, while southwest to west winds of 10 to 20 mph could produce gusts reaching 25 to 45 mph in some areas.
That combination can allow a new fire to spread rapidly and make existing fires more difficult to control.
A National Weather Service hazards map shows Red Flag Warning areas highlighted across much of Klamath and Lake counties in Southern Oregon and parts of Siskiyou and Modoc counties in Northern California ahead of critical fire weather Friday and Saturday. Map courtesy National Weather Service
The warning covers the Klamath Basin, much of Klamath and Lake counties, the Fremont-Winema National Forest and portions of the south-central Oregon desert. In Northern California, it includes areas of eastern Siskiyou and Modoc counties, including portions of the Klamath, Shasta and Modoc national forests.
Conditions are expected to improve somewhat overnight as winds ease and humidity rises before becoming critical again the following afternoon.
Strong southwest winds and very low humidity are expected to create critical fire weather conditions Friday and Saturday across eastern Siskiyou County and much of Modoc, Klamath and Lake counties. Any fires that start could spread quickly under the dry, windy conditions. Graphic courtesy National Weather Service Medford
The warning comes during an already active stretch of fire season across the region, with firefighters responding to multiple wildfires and structure fires in recent days.
For residents, the forecast does not mean a wildfire is occurring or certain to start. A Red Flag Warning signals that weather and fuel conditions could allow a fire that does start to grow quickly.
Officials are urging people to follow local fire restrictions and avoid activities that could produce sparks, particularly during the hottest, driest and windiest parts of the day.
The National Weather Service said critical fire weather concerns could linger through the weekend, although Friday and Saturday are expected to bring the greatest overlap of strong winds and very low humidity.
Cover image: A sunset stretches across the Lost Forest Research Natural Area in south-central Oregon, one of the dry landscapes that could see critical fire weather Friday and Saturday as strong winds overlap with very low humidity. Photo by Greg Shine, Bureau of Land Management
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