Grass fire in progress, (Brian Neben, Courtesy)
LEXINGTON — Near critical fire weather conditions are possible across Dawson, Gosper and Furnas counties this afternoon and tonight.
“Although outright-critical fire weather conditions are unlikely, at least a few hours of near-critical conditions are expected this afternoon, due to the combination of southerly winds gusting at
least 20 mph, and relative humidity falling to 25 percent or slightly lower,” per the National Weather Service – Hastings.
As of Wednesday, moderate drought conditions are in place across all of Dawson and Furnas counties, while Gosper is seeing abnormally dry conditions in the southern part of the county.
Below are a few factors used by the NWS to determine fire danger in its forecast:
Relative Humidity:
Anything less than 20 percent is considered dry enough to assist in the ignition of wildland fire.
Wind:
Sustained winds over 15 mph are likely to fan any flames, causing fires to rapidly expand.
Temperature:
75 degree and above also receive attention because this helps dry out forest fuels quicker. When these three conditions exist, the potential of a fire starting and spreading is very high. Extreme care must be utilized by all to prevent ignition of a wildfire.
