Wildfire Knowledge Graph · Fuels & Weather
A weather-service warning that forecast or observed combinations of weather and fuel conditions can produce critical fire behaviour.
In plain language
Criteria vary by forecast office and region. A warning signals dangerous conditions, not a prediction that a fire will definitely start.
Why it matters
Interpreting the product requires the issuing jurisdiction, valid period and local criteria.
Red Flag Warning: meteorological signal, not an ignition forecast
A Red Flag Warning is an official fire-weather alert issued by the responsible weather authority for conditions that could support critical fire behaviour when fuels are receptive. Criteria vary by geographical area and may involve combinations of wind, humidity, fuel dryness and recent weather. It does not mean that a fire has already started.
Do not interpret a warning as a numerical probability that a particular property will burn. It describes an elevated potential for dangerous fire-weather conditions over a stated geographic area and time window. A warning can coincide with no wildfire ignition, while damaging fires can occur outside warning periods.
When documenting a historical incident, preserve the exact issuing authority, product number where available, warning start and expiry times, zones and subsequent updates. A screenshot without timestamp and locality can lead to incorrect claims about whether a warning was active at a specific ignition location.
Households should rely on local emergency authorities for restrictions, evacuation directions and safety actions. A fire-weather alert and an evacuation order are different products issued for different purposes and often by different agencies.
Compare Fire Weather Watch, Evacuation Order and Wind Gust.