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WWUS83 KLBF 191958 RFWLBF URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE 258 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2009 NEZ204-206-208-200000- /O.NEW.KLBF.FW.W.0007.090519T1958Z-090520T0000Z/ EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR- SANDHILLS/VALENTINE NWR/NEBRASKA NATIONAL FOREST/ SAMUEL R MCKELVIE NATIONAL FOREST- NIOBRARA VALLEY/FORT NIOBRARA NWR- 258 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2009 /158 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2009/ ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING. THE RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FIRE WEATHER ZONES: IN NEBRASKA...204...206...208 AN UNSEASONABLE HOT DAY HAS RESULTING IN TEMPERATURES REACHING INTO THE MID 90S ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. PRIMARILY ACROSS CHERRY AND SHERIDAN COUNTIES. MEANWHILE SURFACE DEW POINTS ARE NEAR 40 DEGREES...WITH A RESULTING RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT OR BELOW 15 PERCENT. ALONG WITH THE DRY AIR ARE SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO 30 TO 45 MPH. THIS COMBINATION WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR CONDITIONS. WHILE THE SPRING GROWTH HAS CREATED SOME AREAS OF LOW FUEL CONDITIONS...CURED GRASSES FROM LAST YEAR REMAIN THE DOMINANT FUEL TYPE IN MANY LOCATIONS. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE ONCE TEMPERATURES DIMINISH THIS EVENING...HOWEVER WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUSTY INTO THE LATE EVENING HOURS. 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 WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ MASEK