Red Flag Warning issued for parts of the metro region

So you're probably asking, what in the world is a "Red Flag Warning?"  Below is the text of the warning, which pretty well explains it, but basically the air is quickly drying out behind a cold front, the ground is dry (except where river flooding is occurring of course), and winds are gusty - which is a combination that promotes and sustains wildfires.  It's somewhat rare to see these warnings here in the Memphis area, but behind an early spring cold front is one way to get them.  Here's the warning:

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
619 PM CDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG CONDITIONS INTO THE EARLY EVENING...

.VERY DRY AIR CONTINUES TO SURGE INTO PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH ON
STRONG WEST WINDS. WITH LOW FUEL MOISTURE AND VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...THIS IS CREATING DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
THESE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

A LARGE BRUSH FIRE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN DYER COUNTY...PROMPTING
THE EXPANSION AND EXTENSION OF THE WARNING.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES THIS AFTERNOON HAVE DROPPED OR WILL DROP TO
NEAR 20 PERCENT. 20 FOOT WINDS RANGE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH WITH
GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH. 10 HOUR FUEL MOISTURE IS ALSO LOW. THESE
CONDITIONS ARE AT RED FLAG WARNING CRITERIA AND THUS ARE MAKING
FOR A DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER SITUATION.

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 WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

So, especially if you live in rural areas, please take this in consideration before burning brush or debris.  Conditions are favorable for that small fire to get quickly out of control.  More information is available on Wikipedia.

----
Stay up to date on the latest weather conditions and forecast by checking out MemphisWeather.net on Facebook and Twitter and our BRAND-NEW iPhone app!