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    • Red flag warnings are active in some states with record temperatures in the forecast
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    Red flag warnings are active in some states with record temperatures in the forecast

    Vaseline Posted on

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    Red flag warnings were active in several central US states on Tuesday as forecasters say possible record temperatures and high winds ahead of a cold front increase the risk of wildfires in the drought-stricken region.

    Across the Great Plains, warnings warning of warm temperatures, low humidity and high winds were in effect across eastern Colorado, western and northern Kansas, western Oklahoma and parts of the Texas Panhandle. Fire warnings were in effect in the Midwest, east-central Illinois, including the city of Chicago, and much of central Indiana.

    From North Texas to Wisconsin and West Virginia, afternoon highs were forecast to reach the high 70s and 80s — about 20 to 35 degrees above average for this time of year and on pace to set records to break, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

    Rising temperatures, brought on by an ongoing drought in the central US, prompted warnings from weather officials who urged people not to throw cigarettes or matches on the ground and to put out fires with plenty of water.

    “Record warmth, strong southwesterly winds and dry conditions allow grass or forest fires to spread out of control,” the Chicago weather bureau said in a message on X. “Report any fires immediately to local emergency officials.”

    Temperatures are rising in the Northeast, leading to more fire warnings

    For the rest of the week, as a cold front moves from the west across the central U.S., the warm front that is raising temperatures in the Plains and Midwest will expand eastward.

    By Halloween, temperatures could reach record levels in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. According to AccuWeather, afternoon highs are expected in the 80s in cities like Washington and Philadelphia, more than 15 degrees above the historical average.

    One factor in the rising temperatures in the East is a lack of rainfall, making October the driest month on record in Philadelphia and New York City, neither of which have received measurable amounts of precipitation since September, according to AccuWeather. New York City was under a red flag warning on Saturday due to gusty winds and low humidity.

    As temperatures rise in the East, a cold front will bring cool weather to the central US, bringing afternoon highs back into the 50s and 60s.

    According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, parts of every state in the Plains and Midwest are experiencing drought, with some areas of land experiencing severe and extreme drought. Most states across the country are experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

    Forest fires are raging across the country

    Thirteen major active wildfires have burned more than a million acres of land across the country, from California to Massachusetts, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

    In central Colorado, a fire broke out in Teller County, leading to the evacuation of more than 700 households and the closure of schools. The fire, which was first reported Monday afternoon, has burned nearly 100 acres northwest of Colorado Springs, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. The cause remains unknown.

    In Oklahoma, a fire prompted evacuation orders for nearby homes in Logan County, north of Oklahoma City. All fire personnel in the county responded to the fire and prevented it from spreading into neighboring Payne County. Elsewhere in the state, authorities have battled at least three other fires that have burned more than 30,000 acres (13,000 hectares) of land, the National Interagency Fire Center said.

    At least 47 active wildfires have been reported in Massachusetts, the state fire department said in a statement Monday, adding that 18 were reported in a 24-hour period. Authorities in Millbury, a town just south of Worcester, said a woman was found dead Saturday in an encampment where a small brush fire had started. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the fire.

    New Jersey firefighters have brought a wildfire in Essex County that has burned more than 400 acres (192 hectares) under 90% control, according to the state Forest Fire Department. Local and state authorities have responded to hundreds of wildfires this month as New Jersey and most of the Northeast grapple with persistent drought.

    Vaseline
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