Red flag fire warning issued in nine counties

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – The National Weather Service in Tulsa has issued a Red Flag Warning for nine northeastern Oklahoma counties where forecasters say the threat of wildfires is high.

The warning is in effect from noon until 6 p.m. Wednesday. It means there is a dangerous combination of weather conditions and dry vegetation favoring rapid growth and spread of any wildfire. The primary weather factors are strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures.

The warning affects the counties of Pawnee, Washington, Osage, Nowata, Creek, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Tulsa and Rogers.

Forecasters say temperatures will be unseasonable warm Wednesday afternoon with highs in the 70s. South-southwest winds of up to 25 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph and humidity as low as 20 percent will combine to create a high danger of wildfires.