Red flag warning issued for entirety of southwest Utah

This file photo shows a structure going up in flames during the 1450 Fire in Hurricane, Utah, on May 18, 2020 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning that is encompassing the entirety of southwest Utah, as well as portions of central Utah.

Weather alerts as of 10:30 a.m., Aug. 4, 2020 | Map from National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office, St. George News | Click to enlarge

According to the National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office, the red flag warning goes into effect Wednesday at noon and is set to last through Thursday at 9 p.m. The forecast includes relative humidity as low as 8-12% and southwest winds of 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. These conditions, combined with high temperatures, mean fires will start easily and spread rapidly.

In addition to the red flag warning, there is also a hazardous weather outlook for most of the rest of the state. A dry cold front will stall out in central Utah on Tuesday. South of the front, higher than normal temperatures are expected.

High temperatures are expected to remain at or above normal through the upcoming weekend.

Precautions and preparedness

If you are traveling or planning to recreate using ATVs or similar vehicles, take the following precautions to avoid starting a wildfire:

  • Avoid driving or parking your vehicle in tall grass.
  • Never throw a lighted cigarette out of a vehicle.
  • When pulling a trailer, attach safety chains securely; loose chains can drag on the pavement and cause sparks, igniting roadside fires.
  • Look behind you before driving away from fire-sensitive locations such as areas with tall grass or campsites to check for signs of a developing fire.
  • Always use a spark arrester on internal combustion engines.

For the most current conditions, warnings and advisories, go to the National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office website.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!