WWUS84 KEPZ 160408
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
1008 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE FOR SOUTHERN NEW
MEXICO ON FRIDAY...

Thursday will set the stage as relative humidity values drop
close to 5 percent and winds become breezy, resulting in elevated
to near-critical fire weather conditions. Dry and breezy to windy
conditions are forecast on Friday as an upper-level trough swings
through the Rockies. West-southwest winds increase to 15 to 25 mph
during the day with gusts to 35 mph in the afternoon. Relative
humidity values fall to about 10 percent on Friday. Widespread
tree mortality and dieback fuels will increase the wildfire risk
in both the Gila and Lincoln National Forests as ERCs deteriorate
towards the 90th percentile through Thursday.

NMZ110>113-161300-
/O.NEW.KEPZ.FW.A.0004.260417T1800Z-260418T0200Z/
Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ-
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ-
South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ-
Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln NF/LNZ-
1008 PM MDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING FOR BREEZY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO...

The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has
issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from Friday
afternoon through Friday evening.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest Mountains/Gila
  NF/Apache NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111 Southwest Deserts and
  Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 112 South
  Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ and
  Fire Weather Zone 113 Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln
  NF/LNZ.

* TIMING...From noon to 8 PM Friday.

* WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 9 percent.

* EXPERIMENTAL RFTI...3 to 5, or Near Critical to Critical.

* IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
  Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions
are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible
Red Flag Warnings.

&&

$$

Aronson