Red Flag Warning Issued for Southeast Texas: Critical Fire Conditions Expected Monday
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 2, 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).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for most of Southeast Texas on Monday, March 16, as strong winds and low humidity create a high risk for rapid fire spread.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Southeast Texas
- Issued
- April 2, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Houston Galveston
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 Southeast Texas.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity. This alert indicates that critical fire weather conditions are imminent or occurring, replacing the previous Fire Weather Watch for the region.
Affected Areas
The warning covers a broad portion of Southeast Texas, including the following counties and geographic zones:
- Counties: Madison, Walker, San Jacinto, Polk, Burleson, Brazos, Washington, Grimes, Montgomery, Colorado, Austin, Waller, Chambers, Wharton, and Fort Bend.
- Regional Zones: Northern and Southern Liberty; Inland and Coastal Harris; Inland and Coastal Jackson; Inland and Coastal Matagorda; Inland and Coastal Brazoria; and Inland and Coastal Galveston.
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas are urged to take the following precautions:
- Avoid Outdoor Burning: Outdoor burning is not recommended due to the high risk of fire spread.
- Follow Local Laws: Obey all local burn restrictions and official burn bans.
- Stay Prepared: Be ready to respond quickly, as any fires that develop will be capable of spreading rapidly under these conditions.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: North winds are forecast at 15 to 25 mph, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph.
- Relative Humidity: Humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 15 percent.
- Impact: The combination of strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is effective from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT on Monday, March 16, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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