After a short reprieve, elevated fire risk is returning to eastern Colorado to close the week.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for Friday covering most eastern border counties and additional counties in the southern part of the state. The watch will be in effect from late morning into the afternoon due to southwest wind expected to gust as high as 35 miles per hour while humidity falls as low as 10 percent. Temperatures are predicted to be in the 60s to low 70s.

The watch, which may become a red flag warning, affects portions of Huerfano and Las Animas counties, along with all of Baca, Bent, Prowers, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, and Yuma counties. Most of the area covered by the watch is experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions.

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Watch for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings.