Critical Fire Weather Alert: Red Flag Warning in Effect Across Southeast Colorado

Description: The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag Warning from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 2026, for parts of southeast Colorado, including Otero, Crowley, Bent, Baca, Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano and Las Animas counties, due to gusty winds, low humidity and extreme fire danger.

Red Flag Warning Issued for Southeast Colorado With Gusty Winds and Low Humidity

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1233 AM MDT Sat May 16 2026

Fremont County Including Canon City/Howard/Texas Creek- Southern Front Range Including Sangre De Cristo Mountains/Wet Mountains/La Veta Pass-Pueblo County Including Pueblo- Huerfano County Including Walsenburg- Western Las Animas County Including Trinidad and Thatcher- Crowley County Including Ordway- Otero County Including La Junta and Western Comanche Grasslands- Eastern Las Animas County Including Pinon Canyon- Bent County Including Las Animas- Baca County Including Springfield and Eastern Comanche Grasslands- 1233 AM MDT Sat May 16 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 222, 225, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235, AND 237...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 222, 225, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235, AND 237...

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 222, 225, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235 and 237.

* TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MDT this evening. For the Fire Weather Watch, from Sunday morning through Sunday evening.

* WINDS...Southwest 15 to 30 mph on Saturday and 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph on Sunday.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent. * IMPACTS...Elevated fire danger is expected. Fires will catch and spread rapidly and erratically.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings.

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