FIRE WEATHER WATCH: Urgent Message from Osage Nation Wildland Fire Management

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Wildland Fire Management

THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 2021 - There is a fire weather watch in effect Friday afternoon for very dry and windy conditions for Osage and Pawnee Counties in Northeast Oklahoma. The National Weather Service in Tulsa has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect Friday afternoon. 

  • AFFECTED AREA: In Oklahoma, Osage, and Pawnee counties.
  • WIND: Southwest 20 to 25 mph, gusting 30 to 40 mph during the midday and early afternoon hours.
  • HUMIDITY: 25 to 30 percent.
  • TEMPERATURE: Mid to Upper 70s.
  • IMPACTS: Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.

Outdoor burning is not recommended. A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

This Outlook is for Northwest and West Central Arkansas as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma.

DAY ONE: Today and Tonight.

DISCUSSION: South winds will gust 25 to 35 mph thru mid-morning across northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas as an upper disturbance passes by to the north.

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN: Friday through Wednesday.

FRIDAY: Thunderstorm; High Wind and Very High Fire Weather Potential.

SATURDAY: High Wind Potential.

SUNDAY thru WEDNESDAY: High to Very High Fire Weather and High Wind Potential.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION: A strong low-pressure system over Kansas on Friday will bring strong and gusty southwest winds to northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. Gusts between 30 and 40 mph can be expected. The strong winds and low humidity west of highway 75 will yield near critical fire weather conditions. There is a low chance of strong to severe storms ahead of a cold front across far eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas by late Friday afternoon. This cold front will sweep southeast across the region Friday evening with gusty northwest winds expected to persist into Saturday. Warm and windy conditions are expected to return for the first half of next week, again raising fire weather concerns.

Find fire safety tips on the Wildland Fire Management web page.