277
FNUS63 KFSD 261947
RFDFSD
RANGELAND FIRE DANGER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
247 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2026
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 232 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2026
DESPITE THE COOLER HIGHS AND HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES, FIRE
CONDITIONS HOVER NEAR CRITICAL THIS AFTERNOON DUE TO THE STRONG
WINDS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO USE CAUTION FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, AS
FIRE COULD SPREAD QUICKLY.
FRIDAY WILL BE ANOTHER DAY THAT TEETERS ON NEAR CRITICAL FIRE
CONDITIONS. SOUTH OF A ROUGH LINE FROM HURON TO IDA GROVE HUMIDITY
IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO 25% OR LESS. NORTH OF THAT LINE VALUES WILL
BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER, UP TO 35% IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. NORTHWEST
WINDS GUSTING 20-25 MPH BUT WILL BE SLIGHTLY OFFSET IN TIME AND
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION FROM THE LOWEST RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES.
WHILE THERE MAY BE AN HOUR OR TWO WHERE BOTH CRITICAL WINDS AND
HUMIDITY ARE MET, HAVE DECIDED TO FOREGO ANY FIRE HEADLINES AT THIS
TIME.
SATURDAY A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM UNTIL 9 PM
CDT. REGION WIDE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL FALL TO LESS THAN
20%. WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST SUSTAINED AT 20-25 MPH AND
GUSTS OF 35-40+ MPH. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 50S TO 60S. THE
COMBINATION OF THESE WILL RESULT IN THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
CLIMBING TO THE EXTREME CATEGORY FOR THE ENTIRE CWA. CONDITIONS ARE
RIPE FOR EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH. PLEASE USE CAUTION. DO NOT THROW
CIGARETTES OUT OF CAR WINDOWS. ENSURE ANY CHAINS ARE PROPERLY STOWED
SO AS NOT TO DRAG AND CREATE SPARKS. IF WORKING IN AREAS WITH TALL
GRASS, USE CAUTION HOT EXHAUSTS DO NOT COME IN CONTACT. AND IF YOU
SEE A FIRE REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY.
SUNDAY WILL BE WARM AND DRY, BUT WINDS WILL BE LIGHTER GUSTING
AROUND 15 MPH. DEW POINTS AND THEREFORE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
RECOVER SOMEWHAT BUT ARE STILL NEAR CRITICAL. MONDAY AND TUESDAY DEW
POINTS RECOVER MORE, BUT WITH BREEZY AFTERNOON WINDS EXPECTED FIRE
DANGER REMAINS HIGH TO VERY HIGH. WE MAY FINALLY GET A BREAK FROM
FIRE WEATHER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS CHANCES FOR RAIN AND POSSIBLY
SOME SNOW RETURN TO THE FORECAST AREA.
PLEASE USE CAUTION! FIRES MAY CATCH AND SPREAD QUICKLY IN THESE
CONDITIONS. ENSURE SOURCES OF IGNITION ARE KEPT WELL AWAY FROM
FIRE FUELS AND REPORT ANY FIRES IMMEDIATELY.
IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ089-090-097-098-NEZ013-014-
SDZ050-052>071-262300-
LYON-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-SIOUX-O'BRIEN-CLAY-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE-
BUENA VISTA-WOODBURY-IDA-NOBLES-JACKSON-PIPESTONE-ROCK-DIXON-
DAKOTA-GREGORY-JERAULD-SANBORN-MINER-LAKE-MOODY-BRULE-AURORA-
DAVISON-HANSON-MCCOOK-MINNEHAHA-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-HUTCHINSON-
TURNER-LINCOLN-BON HOMME-YANKTON-UNION-
OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY.
THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER PRODUCT REFLECTS FIRE DANGER FOR NATIVE
GRASSES. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR CURED AGRICULTURAL CROPS, NOR
WILL IT REFLECT CONDITIONS IN ROAD DITCHES WHICH HAVE BEEN MOWED.
MNZ071-072-080-081-SDZ038>040-262300-
LINCOLN-LYON-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD-BEADLE-KINGSBURY-BROOKINGS-
OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE HIGH CATEGORY.
THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER PRODUCT REFLECTS FIRE DANGER FOR NATIVE
GRASSES. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR CURED AGRICULTURAL CROPS, NOR
WILL IT REFLECT CONDITIONS IN ROAD DITCHES WHICH HAVE BEEN MOWED.
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