Lee, Whiteside, Ogle counties under red flag fire warning this afternoon

DIXON — The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for northern and central Illinois, including Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties, in effect from noon until 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26.

A red flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Other counties under the warning include Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee, Livingston, Iroquois and Ford.

Lee County Emergency Management and all Lee County fire chiefs are requesting that residents not burn until conditions improve. Those conditions include winds from 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph and relative humidity as low as 18 to 25%. Dry fuels, low relative humidity and strong winds will create conditions favorable for the rapid spread of wildfires, according to NWS.