Cheyenne, Wyoming – Extreme fire danger will grip much of southeast Wyoming beginning Saturday morning as strong winds and bone-dry air combine to create conditions where a single spark could spread rapidly across grasslands and open plains.
A Red Flag Warning will take effect at 10 a.m. Saturday and remain in place until 9 p.m. Monday across nearly all of southeast Wyoming, including Cheyenne, Laramie, Wheatland, Torrington and Rawlins.
According to the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, west winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts between 30 and 45 mph are expected during the afternoon hours each day. Relative humidity could plunge to 8 to 15 percent, creating critically dry conditions across the region’s rangeland and prairie fuels.
The warning covers a wide area including the Laramie Valley, the Laramie Range foothills, the North Platte River Basin and Goshen County. Areas of the Thunder Basin National Grassland and the Shirley Basin will also face heightened wildfire risk.
Meteorologists also warn that isolated dry lightning may develop Saturday evening, when high-based showers produce lightning and erratic winds but little rainfall.
Fire officials strongly discourage any outdoor burning, welding or activities that could create sparks. Wind-driven grass fires can spread quickly along open corridors such as Interstate 25, Interstate 80 and rural highways across southeast Wyoming.
The threat expands east Sunday as a Red Flag Warning begins in the western Nebraska Panhandle, including Scottsbluff, Alliance and Chadron.
Critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist through Monday evening, and additional alerts could be issued if dry, windy weather continues into early next week.
