Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri Through Thursday Night

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO has issued a Red Flag Warning (RFWEAX) for critical fire weather conditions. The alert was issued on March 11 and remains in effect through Thursday evening.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following regions:

• Kansas: Fire Weather Zones 025 and 102, including Atchison and Doniphan counties.
• Missouri: Fire Weather Zones 001, 002, 003, 004, 011, 012, 013, and 020, including Atchison, Nodaway, Worth, Gentry, Holt, Andrew, De Kalb, and Buchanan counties.

Expected Conditions

Critical fire weather is expected due to a combination of strong winds and low moisture levels:

• Wind: Southwest winds between 15 to 25 mph, with gusts reaching 35 to 45 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity values are expected to fall to approximately 20% to 25%.
• Hazards: Any fire that develops under these conditions will catch and spread quickly. Extreme fire behavior is possible due to the combination of wind, low humidity, and warm temperatures.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents should prepare for hazardous conditions and monitor local updates.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM CDT on Thursday, March 12, 2026.