UPDATE: as expected, the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Warning covers all the counties under the Fire Weather Watch mentioned in the original article, and adds Crowley, Lincoln, Otero and portions of Elbert and Las Animas  Counties. Winds will be out of the south gusting as high as 50 miles per hour and relative humidity as low as 11 percent. All outdoor burning is strongly discouraged.

Starting off the week with fire weather alerts has become the norm for Kiowa County in March, and the final week of the month – as expected - is no different.

The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday (March 29, 2016) from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for Kiowa County.

South winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts to 45 mph at times are expected. Temperatures will be in the mid- to upper 70s, with relative humidity as low as 10 to 15 percent.

In addition to Kiowa, counties under the watch include Prowers, Baca, Bent, Cheyenne and Kit Carson.  Bordering counties in Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are also included.

Fire Weather Watches are frequently upgraded to Red Flag Warnings in southeast Colorado.

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. The combination of warm temperatures, strong winds, dry fuels and low relative humidity can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

All outdoor burning is strongly discouraged.