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High fire weather concerns are in the forecast for Wednesday afternoon.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) out of Tulsa, a combination of strong winds, unseasonable warm temperatures and dry fuels will allow any fire that ignites to spread rapidly. Outdoor burning will be strongly discouraged on Wednesday.

In Bartlesville, the grassland fire spread rate is anticipated to be at 240 feet per minute. Critical conditions are in the forecast for areas west of Highway 75.

Wind gusts may approach 50 miles per hour across western portions of Osage and Pawnee counties. In other places in northeast Oklahoma, winds are expected to range anywhere between 20 to 45 mph. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy: NWS