04/16/2025

Wildfire Risk Threatens Millions in Southwest

More than 4.5 million people are under red flag warnings on Thursday

Millions in the Southwest are on alert for fire weather through the end of the week due to extreme or critical risks posed by warmer temperatures, high winds and a low relative humidity, officials said.

Red flag warnings are in place for 4.5 million people -- beginning on Wednesday and continuing through the rest of the workweek -- due to the combination of warmer-than-normal temperatures, a relative humidity of around 10 percent to 15 percent and winds gusts between 25 to 40 mph, officials said.

In New Mexico, portions of the state, including Albuquerque, are under an extreme threat -- the highest warning by the National Weather Service -- due to wind gusts that could reach 60 mph on Thursday, along with a relative humidity between 5 percent and 10 percent. The extreme warning means a "threat to life and property from existing or potential wildfires due to weather and fuel conditions."

Please select this link to read the complete article from ABC News.