Red Flag Warning Starts Sunday Due To Critical Wildfire Danger

ISSAQUAH, WA - The National Weather Service in Seattle is issuing a red flag warning for the Cascades beginning noon Sunday and lasting through Tuesday at 9 p.m. The red flag warning indicates that weather conditions are are likely to contribute to wildfires. The forecast calls for warm temperatures in upper 80s and 90s in the Cascades with humidity below 25 percent.

"These conditions favor active fire growth with rapid spread on any new or existing fire. Extreme fire behavior is possible. Outdoor burning is not recommended," the weather service said in its red flag warning.

There are a number of wildfires already burning in the Cascades. The closest fire to the Puget Sound area is the 3,300-acre Jolly Mountain fire, which is burning near the northeast end of Cle Elum Lake. The American, Norse Peak, and Union Creek fires are burning close to each other in an area east of Mt. Rainier along SR 410.

The Norse Peak fire is the largest in that area at over 2,000 acres, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. That fire was likely caused by lightning and has caused the shutdown of SR 410 at Chinook Pass.

Image via Washington State Patrol