Red Flag Warning Issued for Central Illinois Counties Through Friday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Lincoln has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity. This alert replaces the previously issued Fire Weather Watch for the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following Illinois counties:

• Knox
• Stark
• Peoria
• Marshall
• Woodford
• Fulton
• Tazewell
• Schuyler
• Mason
• Cass
• Menard
• Scott
• Morgan

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are strongly advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior caused by the combination of strong winds and low humidity.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Southwest winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts reaching up to 35 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 20 percent.
• 10-Hour Fuels: Fuel moisture levels are reported at less than 9 percent.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective starting at 12:00 PM CST today, February 27, and is scheduled to expire at 6:00 PM CST this evening.