Red Flag Warning Issued for Northern Illinois and Chicago Metro Area Through Wednesday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Red Flag Warning, effective immediately, as critical fire weather conditions develop across the region. The alert indicates that a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity will create an environment where fires can ignite and spread rapidly. The warning was expanded this morning to include the full Chicago metropolitan area.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad portion of Northern Illinois, including the following counties:

• Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee, De Kalb, Kane, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, and Livingston.

The alert has been expanded to include the Chicago metro counties of Cook, DuPage, Will, Kankakee, and Lake (IL).

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are strongly advised to avoid all outdoor burning. Any fire that develops under these conditions will catch and spread quickly. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. Residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior and monitor local updates.

Expected Conditions

Despite light rainfall of 0.05 to 0.15 inches recorded last night, warm and dry conditions are expected to dry out fine fuels by early afternoon.

• Winds: Southwest winds between 20 to 30 mph, with gusts reaching up to 50 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels are expected to drop as low as 15 to 20 percent.
• Fire Behavior: The combination of high wind speeds, low humidity, and warm temperatures will contribute to rapid fire spread.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect until 8:00 PM CST this evening, Wednesday, February 18. Conditions are expected to be most critical during the afternoon hours.