NWS Missoula MTFW.W 0009August 22, 2026
Red Flag Warning: Kootenai National Forest/Talley Lake District/fnf and Western Lolo National Forest, MT
The National Weather Service office in Missoula issued a red flag warning for Kootenai National Forest/Talley Lake District/fnf and Western Lolo National Forest in Montana, which was in force until 6:00 a.m. local time on August 23. It was the 9th red flag warning the NWS office in Missoula issued in 2026. Montana had 15 red flag warnings in August 2026, against 13 in an average August of 2008-2025 (Montana's red flag warnings by year).
ExpiredWarning
In force for 13 hours; it has expired. The agency may have replaced it with a new notice.
The notice
- Issued by
- National Weather Service, Missoula MT
- Area
- Kootenai National Forest/Talley Lake District/fnf and Western Lolo National Forest
- State
- Montana
- Level
- Warning
- Issued
- 9:08 a.m. MDT, August 22, 2026
- In force from
- 5:00 p.m. MDT, August 22, 2026
- Expires
- 6:00 a.m. MDT, August 23, 2026
- CAP severity, certainty, urgency
- Severe, Likely, Expected
- VTEC event
- KMSO FW.W 0009
- Official source
- National Weather Service: the notice at its source
Red Flag Warnings in Montana since 2008Every warning type in Montana
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. AreaZine rebuilds this page from the agency's record; the agency's page is the one to act on. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.
The notice as issued
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR FLATHEAD RESERVATION AND EAST BEAVERHEAD... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM MDT SUNDAY DUE TO LIGHTNING FOR KOOTENAI AND WEST LOLO... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM MDT SUNDAY DUE TO WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR DEERLODGE/WEST BEAVERHEAD... ... .Antecedent conditions have been very dry and warm. The Kootenai Forest especially has received well below normal precipitation since early July. Thunderstorms with little to no precipitation Saturday evening and overnight will be followed Sunday with a dry cold front. Increased winds and lowering relative humidities behind the front on Sunday will bring critical fire weather conditions to southwest Montana across Fire Weather Zone 110. The National Weather Service in Missoula MT has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from 5 PM this afternoon to 6 AM MDT Sunday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 104 and 106. * TIMING...From 5 PM this afternoon to 6 AM MDT Sunday. * LIGHTNING...Multiple rounds of thunderstorms expected this afternoon, evening, and overnight into early Sunday morning. Little to any precipitation is expected with dry thunderstorms. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Through 10 pm thunderstorms will bring outflow winds up to 50 mph. 5% chance for isolated wind gusts near 60 mph for any given location. * IMPACTS...Lightning strikes will have the potential to start new fires, and gusty outflow winds could cause rapid spread of new and existing wildfires.
What the agency told people to do
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this Red Flag Warning. Make and maintain your go kit. Is it ready to go? Are there any materials you need to refresh? Visit ready.gov/kit. A Red Flag Warning is issued when we identify weather conditions that promote rapid spread of fire which may become life-threatening. This does not mean there is a fire. These conditions are either occurring now or will begin soon. It is important to have multiple ways to receive information from authorities.
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. The text is the agency's, unedited. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.