Red Flag Warnings Issued as Fire Danger Grows in Colorado

Mother Nature isn't giving us a break from hot and dry weather in Western Colorado.

Fire danger is reaching critical levels across western Colorado, and the National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings.

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Fire weather in Colorado isn't slowing down. It's speeding up with widespread gusty winds, extremely low humidity, and dry vegetation.

We could see wind gusts between 20 and 35 mph this week, especially during the afternoon and early evening hours.

Several new wildfires have already popped up across the region, and forecasters say the current weather pattern isn’t helping.

What started as a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday has now been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning, with no signs of relief through midweek.

Forecasters say more warnings are likely in the coming days as dry and windy conditions persist.

We'll see high temperatures around five to 10 degrees above normal for much of the week, without any much-needed rain.

Wildfires in the area will create haze and cause breathing issues for sensitive individuals.

Avoid any outdoor burning or activities that could spark a fire, and be prepared for changing air quality due to wildfire smoke.

Colorado Wildfire Damage by Year, Number of Fires + Acres Burned

Colorado has seen its fair share of wildfires over the years, but the numbers really start to tell the story when you look at them year by year.

From just a few thousand acres burned in the '90s to massive jumps in the 2000s, it’s clear something has changed.

We dug into the data to see which years were the worst and how things have shifted across the state.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

Colorado's 20 largest wildfires have all taken place since the year 2000.