At least a half-dozen central and western U.S. states were under a severe fire threat on Monday, Feb. 16, as forecasters warn that high winds, warmer temperatures and low humidity are elevating the threat of wildfires in dry regions there.
Red flag warnings were active across counties in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas and Nebraska, according to an advisory issued by the National Weather Service.
The warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly, forecasters said, and that the threat of fire is high in those areas and people should be both alert and proactive.
Winds across some the region could reach maximum speeds of 70 mph, the weather service said, and temperatures may hit the mid-80s.
Nearly the entire region is experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
