Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 55, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Aug 3, 2026, 11:55 AM MDT for Grand County, Jackson County, Summit County, Colorado. It took effect at Aug 4, 2026, 1:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 6 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 3, 2026, 11:55 AM MDT (17:55 UTC)
- In effect from
- Aug 4, 2026, 1:00 PM MDT
- Expired
- Aug 4, 2026, 7:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Counties Grand County, CO, Jackson County, CO, Summit County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:56 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The text
As transmitted.
281 WWUS85 KBOU 031755 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Denver CO 1155 AM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026 COZ211-213-041200- /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0055.260804T1900Z-260805T0100Z/ Jackson County Below 9000 Feet-Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- 1155 AM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT TUESDAY DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... The National Weather Service in Denver CO has issued a Red Flag Warning. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 211 and 213. * TIMING...From 1 PM to 7 PM MDT Tuesday. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Between 13 to 17 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Be sure you are signed up for your local emergency alert system. You can find this information at dhsem.colorado.gov/emergencyalert. Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ Hiris
3 follow-up statements
313 WWUS85 KBOU 040739 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Denver CO 139 AM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 COZ211-213-042130- /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.A.0043.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0055.260804T1900Z-260805T0100Z/ Jackson County Below 9000 Feet-Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- 139 AM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9,000' ... ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... The National Weather Service in Denver CO has issued a Fire Weather Watch in effect from Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 211 AND 213. * TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM MDT this evening. For the Fire Weather Watch, from Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening. * WINDS...For the Red Flag Warning west 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, and for the Fire Weather Watch west 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For the Red Flag Warning between 12 to 17 percent, and for the Fire Weather Watch between 8 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. Be sure you are signed up for your local emergency alert system. You can find this information at dhsem.colorado.gov/emergencyalert. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ COZ212-214-217-218-042130- /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.A.0043.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Central and Southeast Park County-West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet-South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- 139 AM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9,000'. The National Weather Service in Denver CO has issued a Fire Weather Watch. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 211, 212, 213, 214, 217, and 218. * TIMING...From Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening. * WINDS...West 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Between 8 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. && $$ 09
472 WWUS85 KBOU 041820 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Denver CO 1220 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 COZ211-213-050130- /O.UPG.KBOU.FW.A.0043.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0056.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0055.260804T1900Z-260805T0100Z/ Jackson County Below 9000 Feet-Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- 1220 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT WEDNESDAY DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... The National Weather Service in Denver CO has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 211 and 213. * TIMING...For the first Red Flag Warning, until 7 PM MDT this evening. For the second Red Flag Warning, from noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * WINDS...For the first Red Flag Warning, west 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. For the second Red Flag Warning, west 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For the first Red Flag Warning, between 11 to 17 percent. For the second Red Flag Warning, between 7 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ COZ212-214-217-218-050130- /O.UPG.KBOU.FW.A.0043.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0056.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Central and Southeast Park County-West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet-South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- 1220 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT WEDNESDAY DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTH PARK AND ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET... The National Weather Service in Denver CO has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 212, 214, 217, and 218. * TIMING...From noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * WINDS...West 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Between 7 to 17 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ AP
992 WWUS85 KBOU 050058 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 658 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 COZ211-213-050900- /O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0055.000000T0000Z-260805T0100Z/ /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0056.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ Jackson County Below 9000 Feet- Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- 658 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 211 and 213. * TIMING...From noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ COZ212-214-217-218-050900- /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0056.260805T1800Z-260806T0100Z/ South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/ Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Central and Southeast Park County- West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet- South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/ Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- 658 PM MDT Tue Aug 4 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR SOUTH PARK AND ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 212, 214, 217 and 218. * TIMING...From noon to 7 PM MDT Wednesday. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that can cause sparks and do not park hot vehicles on dry vegetation. One less spark, one less wildfire. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this red flag warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Aug 3, 5:39 AM MDT, 6 hours 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Hot again today, with temperatures reaching into the upper 90s and lower 100s before a cold front brings relief by this evening.
- Heat Advisory continues until 6PM tonight for the I-25 corridor and Weld County.
- Elevated fire weather conditions are expected across the eastern plains this afternoon.
- Cooler for Tuesday and Wednesday before temperatures gradually warm back to the triple digits by next weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 3, 5:39 AM MDT, 6 hours 16 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 539 AM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Hot again today, with temperatures reaching into the upper 90s and lower 100s before a cold front brings relief by this evening. - Heat Advisory continues until 6PM tonight for the I-25 corridor and Weld County. - Elevated fire weather conditions are expected across the eastern plains this afternoon. - Cooler for Tuesday and Wednesday before temperatures gradually warm back to the triple digits by next weekend. && .DISCUSSION /Through Sunday/... Issued at 1243 AM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026 We will kick off the work week with one more day of hotter than normal temperatures before a cold front brings some relief for Tuesday and Wednesday. The Heat Advisory remains in place through 6 PM tonight along the I-25 corridor and Weld County. With poor overnight recoveries (much of the lower elevations remain in the 70s and 80s as of 230 AM), it won't take long for temperatures to heat back up to uncomfortable values. Of course, there is the possibility that the cold front picks up its pace and arrives sooner than expected, which would prevent temperatures from heating to the current forecast highs. Considering temperatures are a few degrees warmer tonight compared to this time yesterday, and most locations hit the mid 90s by early afternoon on Sunday, confidence remains fairly high that most locations will reach the triple digits before the front arrives, with highest confidence for locations from Fort Collins and Greeley southward across metro Denver. While most people will be happy to see a few days of relief from the heat, we are expecting smoke concentrations to increase with the approaching airmass from fires outside our region. Precipitation chances will remain fairly low today, with the general expectation being that high-based showers will develop early afternoon across the higher elevations and bring gusty outflow winds and microburst potential as they pass by. DCAPE values will range from 1500-2000 J/kg, which would make for potential for an isolated severe gust, but expecting 35-45 mph gusts with the majority of what develops. If any precipitation does manage to make it to the ground, it is expected to remain very light (a few hundredths). Winds are expected to become gusty with the frontal passage that will likely see some localized elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions until relative humidity has time to improve behind the front. There is a slight chance that a few thunderstorms develop along the front that could lead to some dry lightning concerns as well since little precipitation is expected. Overnight lows tonight are expected to be about 10-15 degrees cooler than Sunday night across the lower elevations. On Tuesday, northern Colorado will sit on the southern edge of a 40 kt 500 mb jet that will increase winds across the higher elevations. While the lower elevations will see much cooler temperatures compared to the past few days, as 700 mb temperatures cool by about 10C over the plains, there will be far less cooling across the mountain valleys (700 mb temps only cool by a few degrees C). Afternoon highs will struggle to get out of the 70s across the lower elevations, where North and Middle park will warm into the mid 80s. With the increasing winds expected across our mountain valleys coinciding with relative humidities in the mid- teens, we are expecting elevated to critical fire weather conditions to develop in North and Middle Park in the afternoon. The jet is expected to drop slightly southward on Wednesday that will keep critical fire weather concerns in place for the higher elevations once again, where relative humidities are expected to drop into the single-digits. Precipitation chances will remain limited through the week, with the best chances for any accumulations expected over the Central Mountains on Tuesday afternoon, and our northeastern corner on Wednesday. By Thursday, the ridge is expected to rebuild over the western CONUS and temperatures are expected to gradually increase each day until they approach the triple-digits again by next weekend. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS through 12Z Tuesday/... Issued at 530 AM MDT Mon Aug 3 2026 There are three main topics to discuss for potential impacts across the Denver TAF sites this TAF period. The first will be with the potential for high-based virga showers developing over the higher elevations by early afternoon and moving eastward over the TAF sites by the 19/20Z time frame. The latest trend in guidance has moved closer to the 20Z start time. DCAPE values are expected to be fairly impressive (1500-2000 J/kg), and with little moisture expected, the main concern will be with strong gusty outflows/microbursts producing gusts between 35-45 kts as they pass by. Timing for greatest potential will be between 20Z to 0Z. The next concern is with the arrival of a cold front. There is still some uncertainty with its exact arrival time, but gusty northerly winds are expected beginning around 22-24Z for KDEN/KBJC followed by KAPA about an hour after. The initial northerly push is expected to bring 20-25 kt northerly winds, with winds expected to increase by another 10-15 kts by 3/4Z. While there isn't a lot of moisture expected behind the front, there will be low potential for an isolated thunderstorm to develop with the frontal passage. Probabilities aren't high enough to add in the TAF at this point, but there is a nonzero chance that we see something develop outside of the current PROB30. With north/northeasterly flow expected behind the front, we could see a few hours of ceilings drop to around BKN040-050 late tonight (around 6/7Z), before gradually lifting early Tuesday morning. Finally, smoke concentrations are expected to intensify significantly behind the front that will likely bring visibility concerns through the rest of the TAF period. Depending on the exact timing of the front, there could be slant-range visibility concerns as early as sunset tonight, but the greater concentrations aren't expected until 3/4Z tonight. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for COZ038>043. && DISCUSSION...9 AVIATION...9
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 3:20 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | BOU | Phillips | 40 min |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2026Every red flag warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.