IDAHO FALLS — The National Weather Service in Pocatello has raised a fire weather watch to a red flag warning for a majority of southern and eastern Idaho.
The red flag warning was issued on Tuesday afternoon and will remain in effect from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday
Meteorologist Jack Messick with the National Weather Service told EastIdahoNews.com that the transition from a watch to a warning is based on the confidence that an event may occur within 24 to 30 hours.
The event is related to the low humidity and high winds expected on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the NWS, in combination with critical fuel conditions, eastern Idaho could experience gusts of up to 25 mph to 30 mph, with humidity levels below 15%.
According to the weather report, a dry cold front will hit Idaho, causing the winds to increase in speed, but Messick expects it to hit more towards the west of Interstate 15 in the rural areas.
“All it takes is one place for it to start, and then, with the way the winds are blowing from the southwest… the fire could spread into your area,” Messick said.
Messick said fire can start without there being a red flag warning or a fire watch, as what had occurred with the Garden Creek Fire near Fort Hall.
According to the Shoshone Bannock Tribes Tribal Office of Emergency Management Facebook page, the Garden Creek Fire was fully contained on Monday after it had burned 5,418 acres.
RELATED | Garden Creek Fire reaches 80% containment, officials confirm fire burned over 5,000 acres
Over the Fourth of July weekend, fire agencies across eastern Idaho responded to around 22 fire calls with some related to fireworks. In Idaho Falls, a wildfire had burned over 20 acres and is believed to have been caused by fireworks.
RELATED | Rain may have reduced fire risk this weekend, but officials say caution is still warranted
He said thunderstorms are possible due to the weather conditions, which increases the risk of a fire starting.
There are burn bans in effect for the following counties: Bannock, Bingham, Caribou, Bear Lake, and Oneida. Under the bans, no open burns or fireworks are allowed due to the weather conditions in those areas.
Those with campfires and gas or charcoal grills are exempted from the ban, but officials still emphasize caution.
Messick asks those with fireworks not to light them on Wednesday due to the weather conditions.
He said conditions will remain similar heading into Saturday and Sunday, but the winds may die down.
“You’ve got to be careful about where your fireworks are going to land, and I would suggest a different weekend for doing that,” Messick said.
He asks those with campfires to keep a constant eye on them. He advised having water or dirt nearby to extinguish the fire.
He said if the coals are still hot to the touch, the fire is not fully out.
“If everyone did that, we would certainly have a lot less fire activity,” Messick said.
Those who see smoke should report it by calling 911 or the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center at (208) 524-7600.
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