Pima County red flag warning issued: High fire danger, strong, gusty winds, low humidity
The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a red flag warning for Pima County starting at 1:35 p.m. April 15. The warning expires at 8 p.m. April 17. The warning was issued for strong and gusty winds, low relative humidity, and high fire danger.
The weather service reported 25 to 35 mph winds from the southwest with gusts p to 45 mph, and humidity as low as 5%. Fires that develop will have the potential to spread rapidly, the weather service added.
Impacted areas include Eastern Pima-Southeastern Pinal-Santa Cruz-Western Cochise; Southern Graham-Central and Eastern Cochise-Southern Greenlee-Lower Elevations of the San Carlos Apache Nation in Graham County; and mountains above 5,500 feet.
For the latest watches and warnings, see our weather alert page.
A defined wildfire season doesn't really exist anymore in Arizona.
As the Department of Forestry and Fire Management puts it: "Fires can happen year-round. We stress the importance of prevention. We all need to work together to reduce wildfire risk across our great state."
In 2021, about 500,000 acres burned in wildfires in Arizona; 2020 saw even more with more than 900,000 acres.
Tiffany Davila, a public affairs officer with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, said the entire idea of "wildfire season" isn't really even relevant in the Southwest anymore.
'We've been saying for years that we don't have a season anymore. We can have a wildfire start any day of the year in Arizona," Davila said. "That's why we prepare all year round and push our prevention messaging 365 days per year because we don't want to get complacent."
The weather service advises:
If you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than three-quarters of an inch.
Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.
Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.
Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire and quickly spread.
What is a red flag warning? What Arizonans should know about the wildfire condition
This article was generated by The Arizona Republic and USA TODAY Network using data released by the National Weather Service. It was edited by a staff member.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Red flag warning issued for Pima County: High fire danger, gusty winds
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