Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Red flag warnings have been issued in six states on Friday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).The agency warned that strong winds and low humidity could facilitate the rapid spread and growth of fires.Why It MattersA red flag warning is issued to notify fire officials of potentially hazardous weather conditions expected within the next 12 to 24 hours.”A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly,” the NWS said.”A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”
A stock image of a wildfire. The NWS has warned that strong winds and low humidity could facilitate the rapid spread and growth of fires across six states on Friday.
A stock image of a wildfire. The NWS has warned that strong winds and low humidity could facilitate the rapid spread and growth of fires across six states on Friday.
Alex Chujko/Getty Images
What To KnowAs of Friday morning, red flag warnings are in effect for Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota.Large parts of Nebraska will face winds of up to 35 miles per hour, and gusts reaching 50 mph, according to the NWS. Humidity will be as low as 19 percent, and temperatures will rise to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.”Any fire start will spread rapidly and become difficult to control,” the NWS said. “Outdoor burning is not recommended.”In South Dakota, a dry cold front will move through the state on Friday, with strong winds developing across south-central regions in the afternoon. Wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph are likely, and humidity will range from 25 to 30 percent.”The strong winds in conjunction with receptive fuels and above average temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s will support the development of critical fire weather conditions this afternoon,” the NWS said.Across most of Iowa and far western Illinois, strong northwest winds, low humidity and dry fuels will results in “critical” fire weather conditions in the afternoon.”Strong winds and low relative humidity values will lead to very high to extreme fire danger during the day Friday,” the NWS said. “Winds may gust as high as 40 to 55 mph in the afternoon. Relative humidity values will drop to 25 to 30 percent in the afternoon with gradual improvement possible as clouds approach from the north.”Meanwhile, across most of Missouri and northeastern Kansas, wind gusts of up to 35 mph will be felt and humidity will fall to as low as 19 percent.What People Are SayingThe National Weather Service said on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: “High winds are expected through tomorrow from Montana to Ohio. The combination of dry conditions and high winds will also lead to critical fire weather conditions across some states – especially Nebraska and Iowa.”The NWS office for North Platte, Nebraska, wrote on X on Thursday:”Passage of a dry cold front tonight will create very windy/dry conditions across central/western Nebraska tomorrow. Use extreme caution with any open flames since any wildfires that get started will have potential to spread rapidly and be very difficult or impossible to control.”Heath Hockenberry, the NWS national fire weather program manager, told Newsweek previously: “Red flag Warnings are ‘fire environment’ products that combine weather conditions and also fuel conditions. The fuel conditions include how dry the vegetation is and how effectively the fuels can burn.”What Happens NextThe current red flag warnings are in place until 7 and 9 p.m. ET on Friday.The NWS issues regular forecast updates on its website.Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact [email protected]
