Red Flag Warning & Fire Weather Watch issued

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Abundant lightning on dry fuels this weekend

MEDFORD, Ore. - The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM this evening for areas of Southwest Oregon including Fire Weather Zone 623 (Southern Oregon County Cascades).

Heat, instability, and increasing moisture along with a couple of low pressure impulses moving through today and Sunday into Monday are expected to bring scattered thunderstorms and abundant lightning on dry fuels this weekend.

Today, thunderstorms are expected to develop mid to late afternoon across western Siskiyou County, across the Siskiyous, and over portions of the Southern Oregon Cascades. These thunderstorms are then likely to propagate across portions of Jackson and Josephine counties. Sunday into Monday, an approaching low pressure system will bring another round of lightning to areas east of the coastal ranges to the Cascades and into Klamath and northwest Lake County as well as across western and central Siskiyou.

RED FLAG WARNING


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Medford OR
317 AM PDT Sat Jul 30 2022

Southern Oregon Cascades

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 623...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 623...

The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Red Flag Warning...which is in effect from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM PDT this evening.

Impacts:
Abundant lightning on critically dry vegetation will likely result in numerous new fire starts. Gusty thunderstorm winds could contribute to fire spread. Despite locally heavy downpour that could be wetting, initial attack resources could be overwhelmed and holdover fires are possible.

Affected area:
In Southwest OR...Fire Weather Zone 623.

Wind:
Gusty outflow winds of 30 to as high as 50 mph will be possible with stronger thunderstorm cells today and again Sunday into Monday.

Thunderstorms:
Today, thunderstorms are expected to develop mid to late afternoon across western Siskiyou County, across the Siskiyous, and over portions of the Oregon Cascades. These thunderstorms are then likely to propagate across portions of Jackson and Josephine counties. Sunday into Monday, an approaching low pressure system will bring another round of lightning to areas east of the coastal ranges to the Cascades and into Klamath and northwest Lake County as well as across western and central Siskiyou.

Rainfall:
Thunderstorms today may begin dry and then transition to a mix of wet and dry. Sunday into Monday the thunderstorms will be a mix of wet and dry, as well. Locally significant wetting rainfall will be possible with some of the thunderstorms, especially the slower moving ones.

Precautionary/preparedness actions
Avoid tossing burning cigarettes on the ground, parking hot vehicles on dry vegetation, and using equipment that can cause sparks. Follow all fire restrictions. Find links to restrictions at weather.gov/medford/wildfire. One less spark, one less wildfire.

Gather your fire evacuation kit now. Collect essentials you don`t want to lose and prioritize your checklist. Visit ready.gov/kit for more information.

Familiarize yourself with your evacuation plan. Where will you go? How will you get there? Who will you call to let others know your are safe? Visit ready.gov/wildfires for more information.

A Red Flag Warning does not mean there is a fire. It means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. These conditions promote rapid spread of fire which may become life threatening. Evacuate if ordered to, or if a fire threatens.

 

FIRE WEATHER WATCH


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Medford OR
317 AM PDT Sat Jul 30 2022

Central Siskiyou County
Klamath Basin / Fremont Winema National Forest
South Central Oregon Desert
Eastern Lake County
Western Harney County

FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 281, 616, 624, AND 625

Impacts:
Lightning and high fire danger will likely result in new fire starts. Gusty thunderstorm winds could contribute to fire spread. Despite rainfall, initial attack resources could be overwhelmed and holdover fires are possible.

Affected area:

  • In Northern CA Fire Zone....281.

  • In Southwest and South Central OR Fire Zones...616...624...625.

Wind:
Gusty outflow winds of 30 to as high as 50 mph will be possible with stronger thunderstorm cells.

Thunderstorms:
Sunday into Monday, an approaching low pressure system will bring a round of scattered thunderstorms with lightning to areas east of the coastal ranges to the Cascades and into Klamath and northwest Lake County as well as across western and central Siskiyou.

Rainfall:
Sunday into Monday, scattered thunderstorms will be a mix of wet and dry, as well. Locally significant wetting rainfall will be possible with some of the thunderstorms, especially the slower moving ones.

What is a Red Flag Warning?

A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.  

  • 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 3/4 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.

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