The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Southern Willamette Valley for Thursday afternoon and evening. Forecasters say conditions including warm temperatures, low humidity, and gusty north winds are favorable for rapid wildfire spread.
Colby Neuman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Portland, said that although there aren’t currently any fires in the area, residents should be prepared in the event of any sudden emergencies.
“The main thing here is just for situational awareness," said Neuman. "If someone lives south of a field, if a fire were to start, that it could all of a sudden threaten their residence, and that they would need to evacuate on short notice.”
The warning will run from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Separately, an Extreme Heat Watch is in effect from Friday morning through Sunday evening for the entire Willamette Valley, with daily highs near 100 degrees each day.
