Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Montana and Missouri River Breaks Through Sunday Evening
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for several Montana counties due to extreme wind gusts and low humidity, creating a high risk for rapid fire spread.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Northeast Montana
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Glasgow MT
Fire-weather notices describe conditions that can support rapid fire spread; they do not report that a fire is present. Check local emergency sources for any active incident.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northeast Montana.
Red Flag Warning in Effect for Northeast Montana
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Glasgow has issued a Red Flag Warning for northeast Montana, effective immediately. The alert was triggered by a combination of high-velocity winds and low relative humidity levels, which create critical fire weather conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning impacts Fire Weather Zones 122, 134, 135, 136, and 137. Specific geographic regions include:
- Counties: Dawson, McCone, Prairie, Richland, Wibaux, Southern Petroleum, and Southern Garfield Counties.
- Northern Regions: Northern Valley and Northern Phillips Counties.
- Landmarks: The Little Rockies and the Lower Missouri River Breaks, including the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.
Expected Conditions
- Wind: West winds between 30 to 45 mph are expected, with dangerous gusts reaching between 55 mph and 70 mph.
- Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 25 to 30 percent.
- Impacts: Under these conditions, any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and become difficult to control.
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected zones are advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. The National Weather Service urges the notification of appropriate officials and fire crews in these areas to prepare for potential fire starts. Exercise extreme caution with any equipment or activities that could provide an ignition source.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is currently in effect and is scheduled to expire at 9:00 PM MDT this evening, March 8, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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