NWS Issues Red Flag Warning for SLV
By Owen Woods | owen@alamosacitizen.com
TALK about timing – while two of the Valley’s wildlife refuges underwent their yearly prescription of supervised burns on Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the SLV, and most of eastern Colorado, Wednesday morning.
The Red Flag Warning will remain in effect from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 12. The evening calls for gusty winds and low relative humidity – as low as six percent. The winds will come from the southwest at speeds between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph.
Even though the plume of smoke that rose above Alamosa on Tuesday and drew the whole town’s eyes upward was a good thing, it is a stark reminder of why these efforts are important. Mitigation now keeps our spaces safe for the future.
There won’t be any smoke the rest of the week, as this Red Flag Warning was expected. Suzanne Beauchaine, manager for the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge, said they had prepared and “crammed two into one day.”
There won’t be controlled burns at the Baca National Wildlife Refuge this spring. When the slated burns for the fall are ready, Baca will be the priority.
Fire crews were able to successfully burn all that was needed at both the Alamosa and Monte Vista wildlife refuges. These burns are conducted to create suitable habitat for species that use the land for nesting, and will produce new growth of native flora which is sure to bring a green sheen to the Valley floor.
Early spring burns allow crews to avoid endangering any threatened species or nesting species. They like to line up burns before animals start to emerge from hibernation.
The National Weather Service says that “A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”
Alamosa set a new daily high record of 75 degrees on Tuesday, April 11, and the rest of the week is expected to be warm as well.
Thursday is also expected to be hot, dry, and windy. The day will be mostly sunny, with a high near 65. The wind is expected to pick up in the afternoon with south and southwest winds ranging from 10 to 40 mph. Wind gusts could reach 45 mph.
These “unseasonably warm temperatures,” the NWS says, combined with dry conditions and increasing winds create these critical fire weather conditions.
These conditions “may be favorable for rapid rates of fire, growth and spread,” the NWS said in their alert.
Keep your eyes on new alerts and be sure to avoid any burning or activities that could spark a fire. The National Weather Services says with any burning allowed under the Red Flag Warning, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than three-quarters of an inch; extinguish all outdoor fires properly by drowning with plenty of water until coals are cold; and never leave a fire unattended. Never throw cigarettes outside.
“Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.”
With the current drought conditions persisting, this certainly won’t be the last Red Flag Warning this spring, or this year.
