Northern Illinois under red flag alert for wildfires, ‘extreme fire behavior’

Dry conditions, low humidity and strong winds have led to all of northern Illinois being placed under a red flag warning for “extreme fire behavior,” the National Weather Service said.

The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday for Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy and Will counties, among others. It is in effect until 8 p.m. for Carroll and Whiteside counties, along with parts of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois.

The conditions are expected to occur again Thursday afternoon and evening for much of eastern Iowa, northeast Missouri and northwest Illinois, the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities office said in an update Wednesday afternoon.

Most of area was forecasted to see winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph with relative humidity as low as 20%, according to the red flag warning. These conditions are “favorable for the rapid spread of wildfires,” the agency said in the alert.

Carroll and Whiteside counties could see winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph with a relative humidity as low as 22%.

“These conditions are conducive for the rapid spread and growth of uncontrolled fires,” the National Weather Service said in an alert for central Illinois. “Greatest impacts are expected with farm fields and other areas with dead vegetation.”

A controlled burn Tuesday afternoon quickly got out of control and left about 30 acres of farmland burned southeast of Woodstock, the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District said.

The Lee County Emergency Management Agency warning that conditions were very dry, heightening the risk of grass and brush fires, following four fires in and around Amboy over the weekend.

Two homes, a barn and a shed all were total losses, and a five-month-old puppy was killed, fire officials said.

“Any fires will spread rapidly and be very difficult to control in these dangerous conditions,” the National Weather Service said in its alert for eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. “Outdoor burning should be avoided.”