Extreme wildfire risk sweeps the central U.S. as heat and gusts surge

More than 15 million people in the central U.S. are under fire-weather alerts through Friday as heat, dry air and gusty winds push wildfire risk to 'extreme,' with about 3.8 million under 'critical' conditions across CO, KS, NE, NM, OK and TX. Elevated fire weather spans nearby states; red flag warnings and fire-weather watches are in effect. A storm system delivering 50–60 mph gusts and single-digit humidity compounds a warmth surge 15–25 degrees above average, fueling rapid wildfire spread amid ongoing drought and existing blazes in FL and GA.