Quad Cities, IA – A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT Friday across eastern Iowa, far northeast Missouri, and northwest and west-central Illinois due to critical fire weather conditions.
According to the National Weather Service in Quad Cities, a combination of strong southerly winds between 25 to 35 mph, gusts reaching 50 mph, low relative humidity of around 30 percent, and unseasonably warm temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s will create hazardous conditions. Any fire that ignites could spread rapidly and be difficult to contain.
The warning affects multiple counties, including Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry IL, Bureau, Putnam, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Hancock, McDonough in Illinois; Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, Benton, Linn, Jones, Jackson, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine, Scott, Keokuk, Washington, Louisa, Jefferson, Henry IA, Des Moines, Van Buren, and Lee in Iowa; and Scotland and Clark in Missouri.
Residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning and be cautious with activities that could ignite a fire. Fire officials warn that dry conditions combined with high winds significantly increase the risk of wildfires.
As conditions remain volatile, authorities recommend staying updated on weather alerts and taking necessary precautions to prevent fires from spreading in the affected regions.
