SPOKANE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Dangerous fire weather conditions are in the forecast for areas east of the Cascades.

The National Weather Service in Spokane says that a Red Flag Warning will take effect Saturday, Aug. 1 for a majority of eastern and central Washington.

Forecasters note that hot temperatures and strong winds could cause existing wildfires to spread rapidly and unpredictably.

The risk is especially elevated in Okanogan County, the Colville Reservation and the Spokane metropolitan area as some of the state’s largest wildfires rage on. Those include the Kaiser Canyon Fire, which has now burned over 131,000 acres since July 16.

In eastern Whatcom County, wet weather and cooler temperatures may help fire crews with two wildfires within the Cascades. The combined Border 2 fire has now burned over 3,400 acres near Ross Lake, while the Luna Fire to the west of the lake has burned nearly 400 acres.