Fire Weather Forecasts and Information

Spot Fire Weather Forecast Request

Click here to submit request

NOAA/NWS Fire Weather Links

SPC Fire Weather Forecast

Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS)

Numeric Guidance

Definitions of Fire Weather Watch & Red Flag Warnings

The following conditions must be met to issue a Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning in Ohio:

o Ten hour fuel moisture must be at or below 8%.
o Relative humidity must be equal to or less than 25%.
o Surface wind speeds (sustained or gusts) must equal or exceed 15 mph.
o The above conditions must be met for at least 2 consecutive hours for
a red flag event to be verified.

The following conditions must be met to issue a Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning in extreme northwest Pennsylvania:

o Ten hour fuel moisture must be at or below 10%.
o Relative humidity must be equal to or less than 30%.
o Surface wind speeds (sustained or gusts) must equal or exceed 20 mph.
o The above conditions must be met for at least 2 consecutive hours for
a red flag event to be verified.

A Fire Weather Watch is used to alert the user to the possible development of a Red Flag event in the near future.  This could be up to 72 hours in advance.

A Red Flag Warning will be issued to warn the user of an impending or on-going Red Flag event.  A Red Flag Warning will be issued immediately when Red Flag conditions are occurring.  Otherwise, it will be issued for impending Red Flag Conditions when there is a high degree of confidence that conditions will develop and the forecast time of onset for the event is less than 24 hours from the forecast issuance time.