A pattern of dry weather over the majority of the fall season has increased the fire risk, but that call to avoid burning has been elevated Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on October 17th. Wind gusts from 25 to 35 MPH are expected and the relative humidity will drop between 17 to 25% during that timeframe. That, coupled with dry fuels due to a lack of rainfall in recent weeks, will make any outdoor fires spread rapidly. Burning should be avoided during the warning. Similar conditions are expected on Friday afternoon.