Iowa red flag warnings
There are no red flag warnings in Iowa right now. The last one was issued on May 14, 2026.
Warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds will allow any fire to spread rapidly.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
Active red flag warnings in Iowa
None right now. Other active alerts in Iowa: none.
Red Flag Warnings in Iowa by year
Iowa averaged 17.7 red flag warnings per year from 2016 to 2025, and has had 29 so far in 2026. The most recent was issued on May 14, 2026.
Counties with the most red flag warnings
| County | 2016–2025 |
|---|---|
| Plymouth County | 54 |
| Sioux County | 53 |
| Woodbury County | 48 |
| Cherokee County | 43 |
| O'Brien County | 42 |
| Lyon County | 42 |
| Clay County | 41 |
| Monona County | 40 |
| Osceola County | 38 |
| Ida County | 37 |
What a red flag warning means
A red flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are occurring or will develop shortly. Fires that start, whether from a spark, a cigarette or equipment, can grow quickly and become difficult to control. Burn bans are often in effect during red flag warnings.
More about red flag warnings and the national map →
What to do
- Avoid outdoor burning and anything that can create sparks.
- Do not park on dry grass; hot exhaust systems can ignite it.
- Have an evacuation plan and a go-bag if you live near wildland areas.
More Iowa alerts
- Tornado Warnings
- Tornado Watches
- Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
- Flash Flood Warnings
- Flood Warnings
- Flood Watches
- Winter Storm Warnings
- Winter Storm Watches
- Winter Weather Advisories
- Blizzard Warnings
- Extreme Cold Warnings
- Cold Weather Advisories
- Freeze Warnings
- Frost Advisories
- Heat Advisories
- Extreme Heat Warnings
- High Wind Warnings
- Wind Advisories
- Dense Fog Advisories
- All Iowa alerts