A Red Flag Warning is a National Weather Service alert that warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds are expected within 24 hours, which raises the risk of wildland fire and rapid fire growth. This four-page booklet from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), part of the Ready, Set, Go! Program, shows residents what to do before a warning, during one, and when a wildfire threatens. It also includes a Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan you can fill in and post at home.
What is a Red Flag Warning?
A Red Flag Warning is a weather warning issued only by the National Weather Service for a select area. It forecasts warm temperatures, low humidity in dried fuel moistures and strong winds within 24 hours. Together, these conditions raise the risk of a wildland fire, or of rapid fire growth if one starts.
During a warning, always follow the instructions from your local fire department. Stay aware of anything that can create a spark or flame, and be ready to act if a wildland fire develops in your area.
What should you do during a Red Flag Warning?
Start with situational awareness. Watch weather reports and register for state and local emergency alerts. Follow and monitor warnings from your local fire department. Those warnings can include alerts on social media and emergency notification apps, burn restrictions or burn bans, and prohibitions on open burning or prescribed fire.
Then use the safety tips below.
- Equipment. Avoid using lawn mowers in dry vegetation. Follow all local fire restrictions on chainsaws, mowers and other equipment during high-risk times.
- Outdoor fires. Follow any fire restrictions or burn bans, and get a permit if one is needed. Never leave an outdoor fire unattended, and drown it with plenty of water. Soak ashes and charcoal in water and put them in a metal can, because they can reignite days later. Report unattended outdoor fires to 911 right away.
- Vehicles. Never throw cigarettes or matches out of a vehicle. Do not drive in dry, tall grass, because your exhaust muffler can ignite it. Make sure trailer chains do not drag on the ground.
Before, during and when a wildfire threatens
The booklet’s action plan has three stages.
- Before a Red Flag Warning. Create and maintain at least 100 feet of defensible space around your home. Clear overgrown combustible vegetation, keep grasses short and watered, and remove needles and leaves from roofs, eaves and gutters. Complete and practice your Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan, including every exit route from your area. Sign up with local agencies for emergency notifications.
- During the warning. Follow weather reports and local news, and monitor your local fire department. Do not do anything that may cause a spark or produce a flame. Keep your “Go” kit packed and near your door in case you need to leave quickly.
- When a wildfire threatens, act early. Stay calm. Follow directions from local authorities and your fire department, and use your Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan for guidance. Cooperate with local authorities during evacuation and re-entry.
What goes in a “Go” kit?
The booklet lists three things to pack: your Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan; prescription medications and any medical devices you need; and important documents, including your passport, birth certificate, driver’s license, marriage license, insurance policy and other legal documents.
Be ready, be alert, act early
The booklet follows the Ready, Set, Go! steps. Be ready by creating defensible space, using fire-resistant landscaping, hardening structures with fire-safe construction, gathering emergency supplies, planning escape routes and sharing your action plan. Be alert by putting together a “Go” kit and staying aware of news from local media, fire departments and public safety agencies. Act early by following your personal wildland fire action plan, which supports your safety and lets firefighters deploy resources where they are needed most.
Fill in your Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan
Page four of the booklet is a worksheet. Write up your plan and post it where every household member can see it, then practice more than one exit route. The worksheet asks for:
- Important phone numbers, emergency and non-emergency
- Property owner and property maintenance contacts
- Local news and radio stations
- The location of electrical and natural gas shutoffs
- Directions noting all neighborhood exits, and up to four exit routes
- A meeting location
- Area shelters and safety zones, with addresses and phone numbers
What is in the booklet
- Page 1: Why wildland fire preparation matters, the Ready, Set, Go! steps, and what a Red Flag Warning is
- Page 2: Red Flag Warning safety tips and how to stay aware
- Page 3: The Wildland Fire Action Plan for before, during and when a fire threatens
- Page 4: The fill-in Personal Wildland Fire Action Plan
Need a shorter handout?
Use the Red Flag Warning One Pager for a quick overview of a warning, safety tips and the actions residents should take. For more on fire-adapted communities and the Ready, Set, Go! Program, explore IAFC’s wildland fire resources.
IAFC’s Wildland Fire Programs are funded in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.