Red Flag Warning Issued for Southern New Mexico and Far West Texas Due to Critical Fire Conditions

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM has issued a Red Flag Warning (NWS Code: FWW) for critical fire weather conditions. The alert is in effect for Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad region across Southern New Mexico and Far West Texas, including:

• Texas: El Paso County and Hudspeth County.
• New Mexico: Southwest Deserts and Lowlands, South Central Lowlands, Southern Rio Grande Valley, and the Capitan and Sacramento Mountains.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised that any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is strictly not recommended during this period. Residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior and monitor local conditions closely.

Expected Conditions

A passing upper-level trough will bring increasing dryness and significant wind speeds to the region:

• Winds: Sustained southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected. Gusts around 45 mph will be common, though the Sacramento Mountains could see gusts reaching upwards of 60 mph.
• Humidity: Minimum relative humidity levels are forecast to drop into the low double digits and teens, reaching as low as 10 percent in the afternoon.
• Temperatures: High temperatures are expected to reach up to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective from 11:00 AM MST on Wednesday, February 18, through 6:00 PM MST the same evening.