PUEBLO, Colo. — Fire weather conditions will impact Colorado's southeastern plains as hot, dry and windy conditions move in Monday.
Wind gusts will range from 25 to 35 mph over a majority of the south and southeastern plains Monday, according to the National Weather Service out of Pueblo. Relative humidity will stay below 15% and fuels are dry in the area, prompting a red flag warning for Pueblo, Crowley, Otero, and Baca counties, as well as the lower elevations of Huerfano and Las Animas counties.
The red flag warning, which means that critical fire weather conditions are currently occurring or will soon, began at noon and is in place until 8 p.m. Monday.
The NWS warned that any fires that spark in those counties will spread fast and will be difficult to control.
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The warning does not apply to Fremont, Teller, and El Paso counties, or the San Luis Valley, since fuels are not critically dry there, NWS reported. It also does not impact Kiowa, Bent, and Prowers counties because winds will not be as strong there.
After a weak cold front on Tuesday, critical fire weather will return on Wednesday and Thursday along the Continental Divide, San Luis Valley and into the Sangre de Cristo range.
