WASHINGTON — The public needs to respond more seriously to government-issued warnings about possible wildfires, a top federal official said Monday, urging people to treat them with the same urgency as they would news about an approaching hurricane.
The National Weather Service issues so-called Red Flag Warnings when conditions in a given area are ripe for wildfires to ignite within the next 24 hours, potentially resulting in the destruction of homes and loss of life.
“This should be heeded the same as if we were issuing a hurricane warning. That is something that is not done,” said Lori Moore-Merrell, head of the U.S. Fire Administration, in an interview.
