Weather & Fuels

August 1 brought a weather event unprecedented in Washington state history — a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning — triggering the Spokane Complex fires and a statewide burn ban. Fire weather experts warn that conditions across the Northwest remain critically elevated through the coming week.

The Pacific Northwest saw the first-ever PDS Red Flag Warning in Washington State history on August 1. Red flag conditions persist across eastern OR and WA, and an incoming thunderstorm threat raises outflow wind concerns for the coming days.

Critical fire weather persists across the PNW interior this weekend, with red flag warnings in effect for much of eastern Oregon and Washington. Gusty winds, critically low humidity, and the threat of more dry lightning keep forecast conditions dangerous.

A red flag warning covering much of central and eastern Oregon for abundant lightning activity, combined with ongoing red flag conditions in eastern Washington, is creating a dangerous combination of potential new ignitions and critical fire spread conditions.

The NWS issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Olympic Mountains and North Cascades Thursday as dry lightning and gusty winds threaten new ignitions. Red Flag Warnings have been in effect across central Washington and the Columbia Gorge all week. Above-average fire risk is forecast for the entire Pacific Northwest through September.

A rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning has been issued for the Pacific Northwest as 40-50 mph gusts, record-low fuel moisture, and persistent drought drive extreme fire weather. Above-normal fire risk is forecast through September.

Red Flag Warnings covering central Washington and eastern Oregon have accompanied dangerous fire weather conditions through the second week of August — and forecasters say critical fire weather will persist through September.

The National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning last week for eastern Washington and Oregon. The PNW fire outlook remains above average through September, driven by persistent drought, record heat, and critically low humidity.

A rare ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ Red Flag Warning — the first ever for Eastern Washington — is in effect this weekend, with critically low humidity, gusty winds, and extended burn periods threatening to drive explosive fire growth.

"Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warnings cover nearly all of Oregon east of the Cascades and much of eastern Washington, with temperatures topping 100°F, humidity in the single digits, and gusty winds.

Red Flag Warnings are in effect for central and eastern Washington and parts of Oregon this weekend, with gusts to 55 mph and humidity as low as 15 percent. A historic PDS Red Flag Warning earlier this week drove the catastrophic Spokane area fire runs.

The Pacific Northwest has seen its first "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warnings since 2020, with dry cold fronts delivering 40-55 mph wind gusts, relative humidity in the single digits, and temperatures near 100°F fueling explosive fire growth.

Multiple Red Flag Warnings are in effect across Oregon and Washington, including a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation warning that preceded the catastrophic Spokane-area fires. A thermal trough, triple-digit heat, and critically dry conditions continue to drive extreme fire weather.

The National Interagency Fire Center August outlook forecasts above-normal significant fire potential across most of the northwestern United States through the end of the month. The 2026 season is already running 37% above the 10-year average in total acres burned.

The National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning across eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon over the weekend, citing extreme fire weather conditions including wind gusts up to 45 mph and relative humidity as low as 4 percent.

The National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning across eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon — the first in the Pacific Northwest since September 2020 — as a dry cold front delivered 45 mph gusts and humidity values below 20%.

The Pacific Northwest has received its first Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning since 2020, with 40-55 mph gusts and humidity as low as 5% forecast to push existing fires toward explosive growth this weekend.

A rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning is in effect for eastern Oregon and Washington as extreme winds, heat, and low humidity converge on a region already battling dozens of active fires.

A fire weather watch is in effect for Central and Eastern Oregon as dry thunderstorms, humidity in the single digits to low teens, and above-normal temperatures create dangerous conditions for new ignitions. Forecasters see little relief on the horizon as the persistent hot, dry pattern continues.

Isolated dry thunderstorms are forecast for southern Idaho today, threatening new fire ignitions, while the Blue Mountains face a slight thunderstorm risk. Minimum humidity across the Northwest drops to 10–20%, sustaining extreme fire behavior on active incidents.