Southeast winds will dry out the Matanuska Valley and surrounding areas through late Saturday, creating fire-prone weather conditions, National Weather Service forecasters warned.
In a red flag warning issued early Friday morning, forecasters predicted southeast winds from 10 to 15 mph, together with relative humidity values as low as 12 percent.
"Critically low humidity values are expected across the zone," forecasters wrote, "but especially so where winds will be strongest out of the Knik River Valley west to near Palmer and Wasilla." Winds from the Knik River Valley could gust up to 25 mph.
The red flag warning is in effect through 10 p.m. Saturday, with humidity rising to 40 to 50 percent Saturday morning before dropping to "critical values" in the afternoon and evening, forecasters said.
There is a burn suspension in place in the Mat-Su for Sutton, Butte, Palmer and Wasilla, the Alaska Division of Forestry said Friday.