As the Holiday Farm Fire rages west, the weather is doing no favors for those fighting it.
"It's going to be hot and dry and windy, unfortunately, which obviously is not good for when it comes to fire weather concerns," said Tyler Kranz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.
On Monday night, smoke from local fires clouded the Eugene-Springfield area, reducing visibility down to a mile or less.
"I don't see an end to that smoke today," Kranz said. "It's not going to really improve until Thursday."
National Weather Service staff in Portland have issued a Red Flag Warning for Monday and Tuesday in the Lane County area. The warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will soon.
Kranz said winds will pick up in the afternoon.
"Starting around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.— you'll notice the winds increasing a decent amount," Kranz said. "They're going to be around 20 to 25 mph. Occasional wind gusts up to about 40 miles per hour, so quite windy."
Later tonight, the wind will subside to around 10 mph. Winds will continue to die down Wednesday.
The temperature will be another factor those stuck inside avoiding smoke will have to contend with.
Tuesday's projected high is 93 degrees, and Wednesday's projected high is 97. While the heat may tempt those without air conditioning to open windows, experts advise against letting particles in.
"We generally tell people to stay indoors, to keep your windows closed, obviously don't open up all your windows and let a bunch of smoke in your home," Kranz said.
"And if you do have to be outside, try to limit your time outside as much as possible because wearing a mask, a simple mask over your face, doesn't really do any good for the fine particulates and gases that are in the smoke."
Humidity remains low. Last week, a meteorologist with the NWS said longer nights allowed for some moisture recovery overnight. This week, moisture recovery is low, making the area even more susceptible to fire.
"You shouldn't be burning outside — don't create any sparks," Krantz said. "Just use common sense out there, because if any new fire gets going, it could really take off quick."
Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-338-2454, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT.
The Link LonkSeptember 09, 2020 at 03:26AM
https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2020/09/08/hot-dry-and-windy-conditions-help-fires-grow-and-smoke-spread/5748256002/
Hot, dry, windy conditions to continue in the Eugene area as smoke lingers and ash falls - The Register-Guard
https://news.google.com/search?q=dry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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