The Pacific Northwest is facing a continued stretch of extreme fire weather this weekend, with Red Flag Warnings in effect across central and eastern Washington and parts of Oregon as of August 7, 2026. Meteorologists warn that conditions Friday and Saturday will be particularly dangerous, with strong winds, very low relative humidity, and critically dry fuels primed for explosive fire growth.
Red Flag Warnings in Effect
The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for central Washington for both Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8. Forecasters note that wind gusts of up to 55 mph combined with relative humidity values dropping to 15 percent or lower will present conditions ripe for erratic fire behavior. Any new ignition under these conditions has the potential to grow rapidly and threaten structures.
East of the Cascades, temperatures are expected to remain near or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit through the weekend, with overnight minimum relative humidity failing to recover — staying in the range of 15 to 25 percent across much of the interior Northwest. Poor overnight recovery is a key driver of fire spread, as fuels remain critically dry even after sunset.
Historic PDS Red Flag Warning
Earlier this week, the National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning across parts of eastern Washington and Oregon, including the Spokane and Pendleton areas. A PDS designation is reserved for events with exceptional fire weather conditions — extreme winds, very low humidity, and critically dry fuels occurring simultaneously. The PDS Red Flag Warning was the first issued for the Northwest in recent memory and reflected the unprecedented nature of the current fire weather pattern.
The PDS event correlated directly with the catastrophic fire runs that devastated the Spokane area, expanded the Tartar Fire in Idaho, and drove explosive growth on numerous Oregon fires during the first days of August.
Dry Cold Front Brings Wind, Not Relief
A dry cold front is moving through the region, bringing sustained winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts reaching up to 40 mph. Critically, this front is not accompanied by significant moisture. Humidity levels in central Oregon are dropping as low as 13 percent, and dry thunderstorms are expected to develop across central Oregon, bringing abundant lightning with little to no rainfall — creating the potential for multiple new ignition events.
The Oregon Department of Forestry has issued a public awareness notice urging residents to avoid any activity that could spark a fire under current conditions, including use of power equipment, off-road vehicles, and fireworks. Debris burning is prohibited across most of eastern Oregon and Washington.
Fuels Conditions: Critically Dry
Energy Release Component (ERC) values across the inland Northwest have been running well above the 97th percentile for this time of year. Fine fuel moisture levels — the moisture content of the grasses, needles, and small branches that carry surface fire — are critically low across eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and southern Idaho. The combination of extreme heat, a multi-week dry spell, and ongoing wind has created a landscape where fires can travel miles in hours under the right conditions.
Forecasters anticipate some pattern moderation possible in the second half of next week, but conditions are expected to remain well above normal fire danger through at least August 14. Residents across the region should continue to have evacuation plans ready and monitor local emergency management channels closely.