(BIVN) – The leeward areas across the State of Hawaiʻi will be under a Red Flag Warning from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, before Tropical Storm Hone makes its closest approach on the south-side of the Big Island.

Humidity will be as low as 40 percent, and northeast winds are expected to be 30 to 40 mph, with localized gusts up to 50 mph. 

“A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels can contribute to extreme fire behavior,” the National Weather Service said, noting that “any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.” 

“Delay activities that could throw off sparks until the wind dies down,” the forecasters said. “Outdoor burning is not recommended.” 

The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense added that residents should avoid “any activity that involves using open flames such as grilling and camp fires,” and motorists should not park cars on dry grass after a trip.  

Leeward areas on Hawaiʻi island that are included in the Red Flag Warning are North Kohala, South Kohala, Hawaiʻi island interior, and Kaʻū.  

Just over one year ago, a Red Flag Warning was issued in advance of the passage of Hurricane Dora far to the south of the Hawaiian islands. The winds drove a number of fires on Maui and Hawaiʻi island, and contributed to the deadly blaze that destroyed the town of Lahaina. 

On Friday evening, the Hawaiian Electric company said it is preparing for hazardous conditions, including wind gusts that could lead to a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in areas of high wildfire risk. 

From a Hawaiian Electric news release:

At this time, Hawaiian Electric is monitoring for conditions that may lead to heightened fire risk and HAS NOT determined that a PSPS is needed. With many areas of the state in an extended drought, strong winds can further dry out vegetation, creating potential fuel for fire and heightening the risk of wildfire. The risk will be lessened if the storm brings heavy rain, but there may be parts of the islands, especially Oʻahu and Maui, that get relatively little rain in the coming days.

Customers should be ready for outages caused by high winds or, if they live in a high-risk wildfire area, a PSPS. Depending on conditions, Hawaiian Electric may implement its PSPS within the next 24 hours and proactively shut off power in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk. To see if you are in one of those communities, go to hawaiianelectric.com/pspsmaps. Hawaiian Electric will attempt to give affected customers as much notice as possible before a PSPS but if weather conditions are hazardous, there may be little or no notice.