On Tuesday at 12:18 p.m. the National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch valid for Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. for Kit Carson County.

Residents can expect winds to be northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph and relative humidity as low as 15 percent.

“Strong westerly winds will spread over the plains of Colorado and adjacent areas Wednesday afternoon. Strong winds, combined with very dry fuels will promote explosive fire growth. A strong cold front is expected to sweep across the area around sunset, shifting winds to the north-northeast making any ongoing fire control efforts difficult,” says the NWS. “Unpredictable fire behavior. Any fires that develop may rapidly grow and spread out of control.”

According to the NWS, a fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible. Listen for later forecasts and possible red flag warnings.

Source: The National Weather Service