Red Flag Warning Issued for Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa Through Thursday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Omaha/Valley NE has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. This alert, which replaces the previous Fire Weather Watch, is triggered by a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad region across Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, including the following counties:

• Nebraska: Knox, Cedar, Thurston, Antelope, Pierce, Wayne, Boone, Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Burt, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Washington, Butler, Saunders, Douglas, Sarpy, Seward, Lancaster, Cass, Otoe, Saline, Jefferson, Gage, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, and Richardson.
• Iowa: Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, and Page.

What You Should Do

Residents are strongly advised that outdoor burning is not recommended during this period. A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. The combination of environmental factors can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Residents should prepare for these hazardous conditions and monitor local updates.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Southwest winds between 20 to 30 mph, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels are expected to drop as low as 20 percent.
• Impacts: Critical fire weather conditions resulting from strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective from 12:00 PM (noon) to 9:00 PM CDT on Thursday, March 12, 2026.