National Weather Service Renews "Red Flag" AlertFrom the National Weather service:
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1102 PM EDT SUN APR 8 2012 CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MONDAY ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND......RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM EDT MONDAY FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND A PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... * AFFECTED AREA...ALL OF THE TAUNTON FORECAST AREA WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND CHESHIRE AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. * WINDS...WEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. * TIMING...FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS MAY OCCUR LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...RANGING FROM 25 TO 30 PERCENT IN WESTERN AREAS TO 30 TO 35 PERCENT IN EASTERN AREAS WITH 40 TO 45 PERCENT ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS. * TEMPERATURES...HIGHS IN THE 50S. * IMPACTS...STATE FIRE WEATHER MANAGERS HAVE INFORMED US THAT ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP MONDAY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 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 AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE AN ELEVATED FIRE SPREAD POTENTIAL.