Dangerous Fire Weather Conditions Impacting Oklahoma

Oklahomans are urged to not participate in any activities that may spark a wildfire this week. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for most of Oklahoma on Monday, Oct. 28, and elevated to near critical fire danger is expected Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Monday, gusty south winds, dry vegetation and low relative humidity is expected in the afternoon, which are all ingredients for wildfires to easily start and spread quickly. Due to the high fire danger, Oklahomans are urged to practice wildfire safety, which includes properly discarding cigarettes, keeping vehicles off of dry grass, avoiding activities with open flames/sparks, avoiding power equipment that creates sparks, obeying burn bans and adhere to evacuation orders.

Fire weather conditions escalate Monday afternoon in Oklahoma.

At 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, the National Weather Service in Norman posted on its official Facebook page that fire weather conditions began escalating across much of western, northern and north-central Oklahoma. The highly favorable conditions are expected to last through 6 p.m. Monday. Oklahomans in these areas are urged to stay aware and to avoid activities that could lead to a spark.

Fire Weather is expected to continue Tuesday, Oct. 29 and Wednesday, 0ct. 30.

The National Weather Service in Norman is expected Tuesday, Oct. 29 to be an Elevated Fire Weather day, mostly impacting western and central Oklahoma. High temperatures Tuesday are expected in the upper 80s with winds out of the south ranging from 31 to 37 miles per hour with 55 miles per hour wind gusts.

Fire weather is expected to increase Wednesday, Oct. 30 as a cold front moves in. The fire weather for Wednesday is expected to be near critical for areas in western Oklahoma with high temperatures up to 90 and winds moving south to west at 22 to 29 miles per hour with wind gusts at 44 miles per hour.

The Rush Fire is currently burning in Southwest Oklahoma's Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

The Rush Fire is a wildfire that sparked in Southwest Oklahoma on Thursday, Oct. 24 near Rush Lake on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. As of Monday, Oct. 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that the wildfire has burned 12,497 acres and is 48 percent contained. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is currently closed due to smoke impacts from the Rush Fire. The wildfire is currently active in the Special-Use Area of the Refuge.