ST. GEORGE — Southern Utah weather conditions forecasted for Friday signal an increased chance for fires to ignite.
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a red flag warning for large portions of Southern Utah, including Washington, Iron, Kane and Garfield counties, in effect from noon to 10 p.m. MDT on Friday.
Following a period of hot and dry conditions, isolated, scattered and mainly dry thunderstorms are expected to develop across Southern Utah throughout Friday afternoon and into the evening. Erratic and gusty outflow winds with gusts in excess of 40 mph are expected adjacent to storm activity.
A dry thunderstorm produces thunder and lightning but most of its precipitation evaporates before reaching the ground, creating favorable conditions for new fires to ignite.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. A combination of lightning, dry fuel conditions and gusty microburst winds will create favorable conditions for new fire starts and extreme fire behavior.
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.
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