Elevated fire danger in Oregon amid thunderstorm and wind threat
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Parts of Oregon will see elevated wildfire danger today as thunderstorms and gusty winds develop this afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning through 8 p.m. Tuesday for wind and low relative humidity in Washington's Kittitas Valley and Lower Columbia Basin of Washington.
The Columbia River Gorge will see winds gusting up to 30 mph with relative humidity as low as 10 percent in the region. Due to the abundant dry fuels, any fires that start may spread rapidly.
Scattered thunderstorms are also expected to develop throughout the hotter afternoon hours, both Tuesday and Wednesday, around central and southeastern Oregon. While some storms may bring heavy downpours, dry lightning will bring the risk of new wildfire starts.
Temperatures remain hot through Wednesday with high temps in the 80s and 90s, further drying out burn fuels in the region. A cooler pattern arrives later in the week. However, little to no rainfall is likely across much of the state for at least the next week.
Folks are urged to use extreme caution and avoid outdoor burning, especially during Red Flag Warnings and other fire alerts.
Stay with the KOIN 6 Weather Team for your forecast and fire weather updates throughout fire season.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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