1. What is a Red Flag Warning?
It is also can be called a Fire Weather Warning. It is issued when fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent.
The official criteria is:
- Sustained winds of 15 mph or greater
- Dry ground, brush
- Relative humidity of 25 percent or less
- Temperatures 75° or higher (This is more flexible.)
2. What do you need to do when this is issued?
You should properly dispose of smoking materials (do not throw cigarettes out the car window). You should also dispose of fireplace logs and charcoal by putting them in a metal bucket after dousing with water.
3. What will end the fire conditions?
The answer is simple. Rain or snow! Rainfall amounts of a trace to .10" will end the threat for a day, but it must be followed by more days of moisture. If not, the fire conditions will return quickly, especially the next dry and windy day.
4. What if you encounter a grass fire?
Report it if there are no officials attending to it, call 911 ASAP. Remember these grass fires can spread quickly.
5. What can a homeowner do to make their home more fireproof?
Keep the chimney clean and install a spark-arresting screen on top of it. Keep trees at least 10 feet from your chimney. Keep woodpiles and fuel tanks 25 feet or more away from your home. Don't keep wood underneath your deck or porch. Prune dead branches on trees. Make sure your lawn is maintained and cut in a zone thirty feet around your house. Never lay wood chips next to your home. Have your driveway wide enough to allow emergency vehicles access. Try to avoid burning and, if you have to do it, make sure you do it well away from any structures or fire hazards. Keep fire tools such as rakes and shovels handy. Keep at least a 30-foot garden hose handy. Install cement shingles to eliminate the possibility of embers lighting your roof on fire. Keep up with current laws, regulations and building codes. All of these things together reduce the risk of your home being fire prone.
Tips from IndefinitelyWild, a publication about adventure travel in the outdoors.
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