Red Flag Warning Issued for Southeast Kansas and Central and South Missouri

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a Red Flag Warning for southeast Kansas and central and south Missouri. This alert indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will develop shortly due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic scope across two states, including the following counties:

• Kansas: Bourbon, Crawford, and Cherokee.
• Missouri: Benton, Morgan, Miller, Maries, Vernon, St. Clair, Hickory, Camden, Pulaski, Phelps, Barton, Cedar, Polk, Dallas, Laclede, Texas, Jasper, Dade, Greene, Webster, Wright, Newton, Lawrence, Christian, Douglas, Howell, McDonald, Barry, Stone, Taney, and Ozark.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected zones are strongly advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. Any fire that develops under these conditions will catch and spread quickly. Residents should prepare for extreme fire behavior and remain vigilant for any signs of smoke or fire.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: West winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts reaching up to 35 mph.
• Relative Humidity: Levels are expected to drop as low as 17 percent.
• Temperatures: High temperatures are forecast to reach up to 72 degrees.
• Impacts: The combination of these factors will contribute to extreme fire behavior and rapid fire spread.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from noon to 8 PM CST on Thursday, February 19, 2026.