Residents across Denver and the eastern plains are on high alert as the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Red Flag Warning effective from noon to 8 p.m. MDT today, advising of critical fire weather conditions. The NWS cautions that coupling of strong winds with low humidity levels and warm temperatures could precipitate extreme fire behavior. According to the warning, winds from the south are expected to reach speeds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts potentially as high as 40 mph, while relative humidity could drop as low as 12 percent.