Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeastern Wyoming and Southwestern South Dakota

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Rapid City, SD, has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert was issued on February 26 at 10:04 PM MST and remains in effect through Friday evening.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically covers the following Fire Weather Zones:

• Northeastern Wyoming: Southern Campbell (Zone 315) and Weston County Plains (Zone 317).
• Southwestern South Dakota: Pine Ridge Area (Zone 326).

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas should prepare for critical fire weather. A Red Flag Warning indicates that conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Residents are encouraged to exercise extreme caution with any activities that could start a fire.

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions are expected to become hazardous on Friday afternoon, exacerbated by existing D1 to D2 drought conditions in the region.

• Winds: Northwest winds of 10 to 20 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 15 to 17 percent.
• Impacts: The combination of low humidity and gusty winds will produce critical fire weather conditions.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST on Friday, February 27, 2026.