RED FLAG GUIDANCE

All Criteria Assume High or Higher NFDRS Rating

Dry thunderstorm outbreak after prolonged dry conditions is Critical in all areas

Alabama

Mobile, AL

Winds > 10 mph, RH < 30%, KBDI > 600

Arizona

Winds > 25 mph, RH < 15%, 10 hr fuels < 7%

Beware when in green-up conditions.

Arkansas

20 ft winds > 20 mph, RH < 25%, 10 hr fuels < 9%

RH may be raised during Drought or extreme conditions

California

Hanford

Winds > 25 mph, RH < 15 %

Redding to Sacramento

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 20%

Riverside
Winds > 25 mph, RH < 15%

Colorado

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Connecticut

Florida

FLORIDA

RH < 35% for 4 hrs, RH < 35% with winds > 15 mph

DI > 75 (dispersion index)

Georgia

Atlanta

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 25% for 4 hrs

Idaho

Boise and Pocatello

Dry Cold front (winds > 20 mph and gusty with RH < 15%)

Strong winds and low RH by themselves

Illinois

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Indiana

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Iowa

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Kansas

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Kentucky

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Louisiana

Shreveport

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 25%

Maine

GYX Gray, ME

Vegetative Stage I or II (cured/transition…spring/fall)

Winds >25 mph

RH < 30%

Rain < 0.25 “ past 5 or more days

Vegetative Stage III (green-summer)

Winds >25 mph

RH < 30%

Rain <0.25 in past 8 or more days

KBDI >300

CAR Caribou, ME

Mean 1 and 10 hr fuels < 10 %, with

RH 33-39% Winds >30 mph

RH 27-32% Winds > 20

RH 20-26% Winds > 10 mph

RH < 20%, then wind is not a factor

Maryland

Wakefield, VA

In Maryland, 10 hr fuels < 10%, winds > 25 mph, RH < 30%

Massachusetts

Boston, MASS

Vegetative State I and II (cured and pre-greenup{spring and fall})

Winds sustained or frequently gusting >25 mph

RH < 30%

Rain past 5 days < 0.25 “

Vegetative State III (Green: Summer)

Winds sustained or frequently gusting >25 mph

RH < 30%

Rain past 8 days <0.25”

KBDI of >300

Michigan

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Minnesota

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Missouri

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Montana

Winds > 20 mph or changing directions, RH < 20 %

Nebraska

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Nevada

Reno, Las Vegas, and Elko

Winds > 20 mph gusts > 30 mph, RH < 15%,

Dry storms over at least 15 % of the area

New Jersey

Mount Holly, NJ

Wind >25 mph sustained for 2 hrs, RH < 30%, 10 hr time lag moisture < 10 %

New Mexico

Most of the SW Area has RH < 15%, Winds > 20 mph.

Beware when in greenup conditions.

New York

NY Critera

Vegetative Stage I or II (cured/transition…spring/fall)

Winds >25 mph

RH > 30%

Rain < 0.25 “ past 5 or more days

Vegetative Stage III (green-summer)

Winds >25 mph

RH < 30%

Rain <0.25 in past 8 or more days

KBDI >300

North Carolina

MHX Newport, NC, and RAH, NC are the same

Winds > 20 mph and/or gusting >30 mph, RH < 25%

Highly unstable atmosphere with little chance of rain

Wilmington, NC (ILM)

Winds > 20 mph for 6 hrs, RH < 25%

Sig. wind shift during fire suppression efforts

RNK Blacksburg, VA

In NC…RH < 25%, winds >20 mph or gusting to >30 mph

North Dakota

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Ohio

CLE Cleveland, OH

10 hr < 8% for 2 days, RH < 25%, Winds > 15 mph for 2 hrs

ILN Wilmington, OH

10 hr fuels 8%, RH < 25%, 20 ft wind >15 mph

Oklahoma

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Norman, OK

Green Season- Winds > 20 mph, RH < 20%, Temp > 95 F, KBDI > 450

Dormant - Winds > 20 mph, RH < 20%, Temp > 80, KBDI > 250

Oregon

Portland

Strong easterly dry winds, Dry cold front, Very dry and unstable airmass

Pendleton

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 20%, or

Very low RH < 10% and or Max RH is < 35%

Medford

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 15%,

Moderate winds and dry conditions at night (> 10 mph and < 40% RH)

High Haines

Pennsylvania

PBZ Pittsburgh, PA

10 hr fuel <8%, RH <25%, 20 foot sustained winds >15 mph

CTP State College, PA

10 hr fuels < 8% for 2 days, RH <25%, 20 ft wind >25 mph sustained

Mount Holly, NJ

10 hr time lag moisture < 10%, wind >25 mph sustained for 2 hrs

RH < 25%

South Carolina

GSP Greenville/Spartanburg, SC

RH < 25%, winds >20mph

CAE Columbia, SC

Winds 25 mph, Significant shift in wind direction, RH < 25%

Big increase in Temperature, after extended dry period

Charleston, SC (CHS)

Winds > 20 mph 6 hrs, Significant wind shift, RH < 25%

South Dakota

Average Criteria for CR- Combination of 3 or more of the following:

Sustained 20 ft winds >20 mph, RH <20%, Temp > 80 F, 10 hr fuels < 9%

NFDRS High to Extreme

1-2 weeks of dry weather

MDT to HIGH Haines (5 or 6)

850 Td depression >10 C

LAL 6

Tennessee

Morristown, TN

Winds > 25 mph, RH < 25%

Memphis, TN

Winds > 25 mph, RH <25%

Texas

AMA Amarillo

RH < 20%, winds >20 mph, Temp 60 F, 10 hr fuels < 5 %

Brownsville, TX

Winds sustained ~ 20 mph, RH < 20-25%

Lubbock

Winds > 20 mph, RH < 15%

El Paso

RH < 15%, 20ft Winds > 25 mph, 10 hr fuels < 7 %

Midland

20 ft winds > 20 mph, RH < 15%

CRP, TX

RH < 30% inland ( 40% coast), Winds > 25 mph

FTW, TX

Winds > 25 mph, RH < 30%

Drought conditions

Should be abundance of cured dry fine fuels

San Angelo, TX

RH < 20%, Winds > 20 mph

Even with MDT fuels, large amounts of juniper can burn quite effectively

Utah

SLC

Extensive storms with microbursts > 50 mph,

Winds > 20 mph gusting 35 mph, RH < 15%

Vermont

Vegetative State I and II (cured and pre-greenup{spring and fall})

Winds sustained or frequently gusting >25 mph

RH <30 %

Rain past 5 days < 0.25 “

Vegetative State III (Green: Summer)

Winds sustained or frequently gusting >25 mph

RH < 30 %

Rain past 8 days <0.25”

KBDI of >300

Virginia

LWX Sterling, VA

SFC winds > 25 mph, RH < 30%, 10 Hr fuels < 8 %

RNK Blacksburg, VA

In WV and VA…

10 hr 7%

RH < 30 %

Winds sustained >25 mph

OR…

Sustained winds >35 mph with any RH value.

Wakefield, VA

10 hr fuels < 7 %, winds > 35 mph with no RH restriction, or

25 mph with < 30 % RH

Washington

Seattle

RAWS winds > 10 mph with RH < 35% or

RH < 30 %, except RH < 25% on the Gifford Pincho NF south of the Cowlitz River

Spokane

Winds > 15 mph and RH < 15%

West Virginia

RNK Blacksburg, VA

In WV and VA…

10 hr fuels 7%, RH < 30%, winds sustained >25 mph

OR…

Sustained winds >35 mph with any RH value.

Wyoming

Western WY

RH < 15%, winds > 25 mph

Haines 5 or 6

12-2001