Critical fire danger continues across the KVOE listening area through the early evening hours.
Red flag warnings are in effect areawide until 7 pm. High temperatures around 70 degrees are combining with strong southerly winds, humidity levels under 30 percent and dry grasses to set the table for rapid fire growth. This means outdoor burns are banned for all area counties while the red flag warnings are in effect.
Wind advisories have also been posted for the area. Lyon and most surrounding counties are in an advisory until 6 am Wednesday. Wind gusts could be as high as 55 mph. Chase and Greenwood counties until 3 pm Wednesday with gusts as high as 50 mph expected through at least mid-afternoon.
9 pm Monday: Red flag warnings announced for area counties
Critical fire danger now covers the entire KVOE listening area as well as much of Kansas for Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties in a red flag warning from 12-7 pm Tuesday for critical fire danger, including dry grasses, high temperatures around 70 degrees, winds anywhere from 20-40 mph and relative humidity levels as low as 20 percent. Chase and Greenwood counties, which had been in fire weather watches, are now in a red flag warning from 11 am to 7 pm Tuesday.
The red flag warnings essentially act as burn bans for the affected counties.
The Weather Service says fires that develop Tuesday will likely spread rapidly and act unpredictably. We’ll keep you updated on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
