Red Flag Warning Issued for Central Black Hills, Surrounding Areas

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the Central Black Hills, Southern Black Hills, Fall River County Area, Northern Foot Hills, Eastern Foot Hills, Custer County Plains, Pine Ridge Area, Butte County Area, West Central Plains, Badlands Area, Northern Campbell, Southern Campbell, Crook County Plains, Weston County Plains, and Wyoming Black Hills. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Rapid City SD issued the warning today, October 9, effective from 11:00 AM MDT until 8:00 PM MDT.

Critical fire weather conditions are expected due to a combination of gusty southwest winds, blowing 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, and low relative humidity, potentially dropping as low as 10 percent. These conditions mean that any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended during this period.

A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents in the affected areas should exercise extreme caution and avoid any activities that could spark a fire.