Denver, Colorado – Dangerous fire weather is lining up across Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming, with powerful winds and critically low humidity creating conditions for explosive wildfire growth through early next week.
Fire Weather Watches are posted from the Colorado Front Range and I-25 corridor to the Nebraska Panhandle and southeast Wyoming. The most volatile period arrives Tuesday, when gusts in eastern Colorado could reach 60 mph. Relative humidity may plunge to 11 percent, priming dry grasses for rapid ignition.
According to the National Weather Service in Denver and Pueblo, southwest winds Monday will gust up to 35 mph before intensifying Tuesday to 30 to 40 mph with higher gusts along and east of I-25. Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs and Pueblo are included, along with Elbert, Lincoln, Washington and Weld counties.
Sunday brings elevated to critical fire danger in southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska. According to the National Weather Service in Cheyenne and North Platte, sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts near 40 mph and humidity between 10 and 15 percent will impact the Nebraska Panhandle, Sandhills and communities near Scottsbluff, Valentine and Cheyenne. Highs could approach 70 degrees in parts of Nebraska.
Any fire that starts may spread quickly and erratically. Officials urge residents to avoid outdoor burning, secure trailer chains and postpone activities that create sparks. Strong crosswinds may also impact travel on I-25, I-80 and Highway 385, especially for high-profile vehicles.
Red Flag Warnings are possible as confidence increases. Residents across the tri-state region should monitor local alerts and be ready for rapidly changing fire conditions through midweek.
