The risk for fire Monday will be elevated across a number of southeast Colorado counties.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch, which covers all or portions of 14 counties, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. due to expected southwest wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour and humidity falling as low as seven percent. Fires could spread rapidly. There is potential for an upgrade to a red flag warning if the danger increases20.

Impacted counties include Kit Carson, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers, Baca, Las Animas, Huerfano, and Custer, along with portions of Costilla, Alamosa, Saguache, and Pueblo. A small portion of southwest Fremont county, along with neighboring counties in Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are also covered by the watch.

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