The National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” for much of the Front Range until 8 p.m. tonight saying that gusty winds and low humidity will lead to a high fire danger.
However, the red flag area is just east of the 3,500-acre blaze that firefighters are battling west of Boulder.
Jim Kalina, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Boulder, said that over the fire itself, winds should be out of the west at 5 mph with humidity about 12 to 14 percent.
Spokesmen for the agencies battling the fires said that although the red flag warning is for areas just east of the fire, there is concern that winds in the fire area will increase after day-break.
The fire is still estimated to be at 3,500 acres and not much headway was made against the blaze last night, according to the spokesman.
Andrew Barth, spokesman for Boulder County, said that 100 firefighters fought the blaze over night and that three air tankers should resume dropping fire retardant on the fire at daybreak.
Barth said that it is hoped that a total of seven air tankers will be in use later today.
More than 35 agencies and fire departments, including the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service, responded to the blaze. It started about 10 a.m. in the 7100 block of Fourmile Canyon Road, about 6 miles northwest of Boulder.
The red flag warning has been issued for an area mainly east of a line from Greeley to Denver to Castle Rock and west of an Akron to Limon line.
South winds will increase to 15 to 25 mph by early afternoon with gusts of 35 mph. Humidity will be 10 to 15 percent.
A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or are imminent, said the Weather Service. The National Weather Service is asking that the “appropriate officials and fire crews in the field” be advised of the warning.
