Thornton, the Front Range and most of southeastern Colorado are under a Red Flag Warning through 8:00pm tonight. The snow last week is a distant memory and winds and warm temperatures have created very dry conditions.

Winds have been increasing throughout the day and will continue to do so for the next few hours before they gradually ease. Humidities are exceptionally low, below 20% in many areas, and temperatures remain mild. These conditions have dried ground fuels and create a potentially hazardous situation.

Remember, a Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring or imminent. The National Weather Service said the warning will remain in place until 8:00pm this evening.

Grassfires are not uncommon this time of year and if they get started they can quickly spread thanks to the gusty winds. It was 47 years ago yesterday that winds helped to quickly burn 25,000 of land in southern Weld County near Roggen.