A red flag warning is in effect Sunday in all of western Colorado and much of southeast Utah due to expected highs in the 90 degrees, winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 and humidity dipping into the single digits, according to the National Weather Service website.

Because of the red flag warning, the Durango Fire Protection District has issued a no-burn order for Sunday.

The red flag warning indicates the potential for extreme fire behavior due to a combination of low humidity, high temperatures, dry fuels and strong winds.

On Sunday, there could be dry thunderstorms, which is a concern due to the extended period of dry conditions in Southwest Colorado. With dry fuels, lightning strikes and gusty, erratic winds bring the potential for new, quickly spreading fires. A fire weather watch will be in effect through Sunday evening.

The fire weather planning forecast for the area indicates that dry lighting is a threat through Monday with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the region throughout next week.

Luke Perkins is a Full-time Student at Fort Lewis College and an Intern at the Durango Herald. He can be reached at Lukep@durnagoherald.com