The National Weather Service is issuing fire weather warnings for Summit County and northern Colorado

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather warning for portions of Colorado, including the Summit County area, as low relative humidity and strong winds are expected to create fire-friendly conditions this weekend.

The fire weather watch remains in effect Saturday morning, Oct. 5, through the evening, according to the National Weather Service. Windy and dry weather is forecast across north-central Colorado on Saturday, with wind gusts up to 30 mph expected in parts of the state.

The weather service's forecast calls for these gusty west to northwest winds to spread across much of north-central and northwest Colorado on Saturday amid warm – possibly record-breaking – temperatures. Relative humidity could fall as low as 9% in parts of the state.

These conditions encourage fires to spread quickly, so outdoor burning and other activities that could produce sparks should be avoided, according to the weather service.

Summit County officials this week upgraded the fire danger to “very high,” citing drying of grasses, drying of dead wood and an extended forecast of warm, dry conditions. Summit County fire protection districts Summit Fire & EMS and Red, White & Blue, along with the Dillon Ranger District and the Summit Board of County Commissioners, will reportedly review the need for possible fire restrictions later this week and into next week.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, research shows that the climate is changing Burning fossil fuels creates warmer and drier conditions, leading to longer and more active wildfire seasons