Red Flag Warning Issued for West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Quad Cities has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert was issued by the NWS Quad Cities IA IL office and is classified under the NWS event code FWW.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts portions of west central Illinois and northeast Missouri. Specific counties included in the alert area are:

• Illinois: Hancock and McDonough
• Missouri: Scotland and Clark

What You Should Do

Outdoor burning is not recommended during this period. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents should be aware that any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly, and fire behavior is expected to be extreme. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures contributes to these dangerous conditions.

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions in the affected regions are expected to reach critical thresholds for fire danger:

• Winds: Southwest winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts reaching up to 40 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels are expected to drop as low as 18 percent.
• Vegetation: There is a plentiful supply of dry vegetation in the area, which serves as fuel for potential fires.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective from 10:00 AM CST this morning, February 18, until 8:00 PM CST this evening, February 18, 2026.