Woodstock Early Birds who spend time in the West are pretty familiar with “Red Flag Warnings” for wildland fire. Here in Vermont…Not so much.
But, here it is, from the National Weather Service, a warning that fire danger is HIGH. Obviously that means be careful meaning no throwin’ the butts around, watch the sparks on the motors and frankly, bad idea to play with matches (not to mention no running with scissors…). Vermont DOES actually have a federal wildland fire crew and volunteers with “red cards” ready to go if needed. Careful out there folks…I can’t imagine having to have a permanent “hotshot crew” but times, they are a changing:
310 PM EDT FRI MAR 23 2012
…RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
VERMONT…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BURLINGTON CONTINUES THE RED FLAG
WARNING…UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING.
* AFFECTED AREA…ALL OF VERMONT FROM RUTLAND AND WINDSOR
COUNTIES NORTH TO THE CANADIAN BORDER.
* WINDS…NORTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.
* TIMING…HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN AT CRITICAL LEVELS THIS
AFTERNOON AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…12 TO 22 PERCENT.
* TEMPERATURES…HIGHS IN THE 60S.
* LIGHTNING…IS NOT EXPECTED.
* IMPACTS…CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS COMBINED WITH VERY
DRY FUELS INDICATE THAT ANY FIRES THAT WERE TO START WOULD
QUICKLY SPREAD AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 