Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Florida Due to Critical Fire Weather Conditions

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Jacksonville has issued a Red Flag Warning for Northeast Florida. This alert is triggered by a combination of critically low humidity, strong northwesterly winds, and ongoing extreme drought conditions.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several regions in Florida, including:

• Suwannee
• Eastern Hamilton and Western Hamilton
• Coastal Nassau and Coastal Duval
• South Central Duval and Trout River
• Northeast Coastal St. Johns
• Northern, Southeastern, and Southwestern Columbia

What You Should Do

Residents and emergency personnel should prepare for extreme fire behavior. A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. Ongoing wildfires will become difficult to contain, and any newly ignited fires may exhibit erratic behavior and spread rapidly.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Northwesterly winds around 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Dropping as low as 25 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs reaching up to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Hazardous Factors: Existing extreme drought conditions significantly increase the risk of wildfire spread.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 1:00 PM EST this afternoon until 6:00 PM EST this evening, Monday, February 23, 2026.