The National Weather Service in Pendleton has modified a Red Flag Warning for dangerous fire conditions across north-central and northeastern Oregon, including Hood River County, northern Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla County and northern Wallowa County. The Warning is in effect from 3:00pm until 11pm PDT Wednesday.
Low humidity, high winds and high temperatures will converge to create high fire potential in the region. Wind gusts of 30 mph are predicted with humidity as low as 14 percent RH. Peak winds are predicted for late Wednesday afternoon into the evening.
A Red Flag Warning is the highest fire 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.
Kevin Weeks
Oregon Department of Forestry