Weather & Fuels

Breezy westerly winds channeling through Cascade gaps—including the Columbia Gorge—are expected to gust to 35 mph Wednesday afternoon, dropping relative humidity to critical levels in the region and maintaining fire spread potential despite the arrival of fall.

A trough aloft is pushing west winds gusting to 25 mph through Cascade gaps Tuesday, driving relative humidity to 15-30% east of the mountains — conditions that raise fire spread risk near active fires in eastern Oregon and Washington.

Multiple Red Flag Warnings struck Eastern Oregon and Idaho this week as dry lightning and gusty winds threatened fire-scarred landscapes. Fire weather forecasters warn late September remains a high-risk period east of the Cascades.

Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches have blanketed eastern Oregon and Idaho this week as a pattern of dry lightning, gusty thunderstorm outflow winds up to 50 mph, and persistent drought-hardened fuels keeps the fire threat high.

Washington's mandatory statewide burn ban remains in effect through September 30, even as recent rainfall has lowered fire danger. State officials warn that a 'season-ending precipitation event' has not yet occurred and conditions could rebound.

Despite September typically marking the beginning of the Pacific Northwest fire season's decline, fire weather concerns persist. Isolated thunderstorms are expected over eastern Oregon and central Idaho today, raising the threat of new lightning-caused ignitions even as major fires near containment.

The National Interagency Fire Center's September–December outlook warns that most of the Pacific Northwest, far northern California, and central and southern Idaho face above-normal large fire potential through the end of the year, driven by extreme drought and persistent dry patterns.

NIFC's September-December seasonal outlook warns that Pacific Northwest fire danger will remain above normal through December, driven by a record-strength El Nino, persistent drought, and critically dry fuels east of the Cascades.

NIFC reports moderate fire potential across parts of the northern Rockies on September 15, with 40-50 mph wind gusts and RH as low as 8-25% possible. The Pacific Northwest is transitioning seasonally but remains at risk from dry cold fronts, offshore flow, and lightning events through October.

No Red Flag Warnings are active in Oregon or Washington as a cool, wet weather pattern brings temporary relief. However, a warming and drying trend arrives midweek. Fire managers are using the window to secure containment lines while they can.

The NIFC September predictive services outlook warns of above-normal fire danger across the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin through late fall, with drought conditions and dry fuels keeping fire risk elevated well beyond the traditional fire season peak.

The NIFC September-December outlook warns of above-normal fire potential through December for most of the Northwest, driven by drought, critically dry fuels east of the Cascades, and a strengthening El Nino pattern with more than 95% chance of a very strong event by November.

Red Flag Warnings remain active across five states as dry and breezy conditions persist in the northern Rockies and northern Plains, while a long-range outlook warns that Pacific Northwest fire danger stays elevated through December.

A rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning drove explosive fire behavior across eastern Washington and Oregon in early September before a brief cool-down provided temporary relief. Fire meteorologists warn that warming and drying conditions are returning, with above-normal fire potential expected through late autumn.

The NWS issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning last weekend across eastern Washington and Oregon — the highest fire weather alert available — as extreme conditions drove explosive fire growth in the Spokane area and beyond.

Cooler temperatures and recent rain are giving Pacific Northwest firefighters a critical window to advance containment on active fires. No new large fires were reported in the Northwest on September 7 — but fire managers caution that east wind events remain possible through October.

A developing weather pattern is delivering cooler temperatures and scattered showers to the Pacific Northwest, reducing fire weather risk significantly from the extreme conditions of late August — but fire managers caution that fuel conditions remain dangerous and the season extends well into fall.

The National Preparedness Level dropped from PL5 to PL4 as cooler temperatures ease fire threat in the Pacific Northwest. But 78 large fires are still burning across 16 states with 17,812 firefighters deployed.

A frontal system is delivering cooler temperatures and scattered showers across the Pacific Northwest, reducing large fire potential — but dangerous fire weather continues across Wyoming, eastern Montana, and the Great Basin. Fire managers warn conditions could return later in September.

A significant weather shift is bringing cooler temperatures and showers to the Pacific Northwest, reducing large fire potential across Oregon, Washington, and western Idaho over the Labor Day weekend — a sharp contrast to the dangerous conditions that fueled record fire growth in August.