Is tonight's fire warning near you?
What's a Red Flag Warning?
A Red Flag Warning (RFW) is an alert issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) that dangerous conditions are expected within 24 hours — the combination of strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation creates an extreme risk for the rapid ignition and spread of wildfire. It's a heads-up to be ready, not an evacuation order. This tool tells you whether the active RFW Affected Area covers your specific address.
Check an address on the “Your address” tab and the closest schools appear here — or search any California public school by name above.
An RFW Affected Area isn't a strict perimeter: why we still say "be ready"
NWS Red Flag Warning Affected Areas are advisory, not boundaries that stop fire. Wind-driven fires (1991 Oakland Hills, 2023 Lahaina, 2025 Palisades) routinely pushed past initial RFW Affected Areas until they ran out of fuel, hit the ocean, or the winds died down. Treat RFWs as serious potential fire-weather — keep a go-bag ready and be ready to quickly evacuate. When in doubt, get out.