SPOKANE, Wash. – The National Weather Service warns parts of the Inland Northwest will see conditions posing a critical fire risk heading into the weekend.
While the start of the week has seen unseasonably high temperatures (with some cities breaking records for daily highs), it is expected to cool off as the weekend approaches. However, the cooler temps don’t mean less danger, and NWS warns conditions will be primed for fires.
In their forecast, NWS expects the excessive heat warning to end on Thursday, Aug. 17. At the same time, Thursday and Friday are likely to see a combination of strong wind, low humidity, and temperatures which will still be quite warm — all of which make for peak fire conditions.
A Red Flag Warning was issued to the Okanogan Valley region on Wednesday. Critical fire weather conditions will be more widespread across the region beginning Thursday, with possible wind speeds exceeding 15 miles per hour.
