Fire-Related Weather Emergencies

Flash flood warning – this indicates that a flood is imminent, highly likely in the short term, or ongoing. Remember that a flash flood occurs within six hours of any excessive rainfall event and that it poses a threat property or life. It can also occur because of dam failures or because of an ice jam.

Particularly dangerous situation flash flood warning – this is similar to other particularly dangerous situations in that a larger population is affected by this flash flood.

Flash flood emergency – this is similar to other emergencies in that it is widespread and involves a heavily populated area. One example of this was during hurricane Harvey in 2017.

You may also issue one of several warnings and watches associated only with flooding. These include area flood warnings, watches, or advisories. These types of statements apply to streets, streams, rivers, or urban storm drains. River flood warnings and advisories apply to rivers or large streams and are related to the flood stage. You could also issue an urban and small stream flood advisory after a large rainfall. Any flood statement simply means you're trying to warn the public of an ongoing threat or even a cancellation of a previous watch or warning.

FIRE-RELATED WEATHER EMERGENCIES

While fires and weather are not the same, the system in place for weather fits well for these types of emergencies as well. These are the watches and warnings you might expect to issue:

Fire warning – this indicates you have determined that there is a major uncontrolled fire in a populated area or near major roadways.

Red flag warning – this indicates a situation extremely favorable for this rapid spread of wildfires within the next twenty-four hours. They issue this when there has been limited precipitation, low relative humidity, and higher winds above twenty miles per hour expected.