The National Weather Service in Boise has issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday afternoon and evening across a swath of southwestern Idaho, citing gusty winds and bone-dry air that could turn any spark into a fast-spreading wildfire.
The warning runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. MDT Wednesday, June 3.
Where and When
The alert covers three fire weather zones — the Owyhee Mountains, the Western Twin Falls BLM district, and the Southern Highlands (zones 423, 424 and 426). Forecasters point to a dry cold front sweeping through the region during the afternoon and evening as the trigger, pairing strong winds with a sharp drop in moisture.
According to the NWS Boise office, the setup brings west winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, relative humidity plunging to just 6 to 12 percent, and temperatures climbing into the 82-to-92-degree range. That combination of heat, wind and desiccated air is the classic recipe for explosive fire behavior.
Why It Matters
A Red Flag Warning is the Weather Service’s most serious fire-weather alert, signaling that critical conditions are occurring now or are imminent. The Boise bulletin was blunt about the stakes: “Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly,” it warned, adding that outdoor burning is not recommended…