Key facts
- Alert
- Red Flag Warning (severe)
- Issued by
- National Weather Service offices: Shreveport LA, Lake Charles LA
- Areas
- Lincoln; Union; Jackson; Ouachita; Natchitoches; Winn; Grant; Caldwell; La Salle; Vernon; Rapides; Avoyelles; Beauregard; Tyler; Northern Jasper; Northern Newton
- In effect
- until 1:00 AM CDT, Oct 17, 2026
What the National Weather Service says
“Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.”
National Weather Service offices: Shreveport LA, Lake Charles LA, Red Flag Warning, 11:22 PM CDT Oct 16, 2026 · official alert
“A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly.”
National Weather Service offices: Shreveport LA, Lake Charles LA, Red Flag Warning, 11:22 PM CDT Oct 16, 2026 · official alert
What to do
Do not burn outdoors while the warning is in effect. That includes brush, trash and debris piles. The National Weather Service says any fire that starts can spread quickly.
Avoid anything that can throw a spark. Examples are cigarettes, equipment that creates sparks, and vehicles parked on dry grass.
Follow local evacuation orders immediately if a fire starts near you. Listen for later forecasts, because a Fire Weather Watch is in place for Saturday morning through Saturday evening.
Context
Fire weather alerts are not flood events, but FEMA records show these parishes have faced other disasters. Rapides Parish has FEMA declarations for Hurricane Ida in 2021, Hurricane Delta in 2020 and Hurricane Laura in 2020. Avoyelles Parish has one for Tropical Storm Arthur from June 30, 2026.
FEMA flood-insurance claims count only insured homes and businesses, not all damage. Rapides has 4,245 claims since 1978, Avoyelles has 1,659 since 1978, and Vernon has 338 since 1979. They show past flooding and are not a guide to fire risk.
Updates
- The red flag warning expired at 1:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the red flag warning; it remains in effect until 1:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the red flag warning; it remains in effect until 1:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the red flag warning; it remains in effect until 1:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the red flag warning; it remains in effect until 1:00 AM CDT.
- NWS Lake Charles LA issued the red flag warning until 1:00 AM CDT.
History here
This county: 338 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1979, most recent 2025.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
- DR-4611 (2021): hurricane ida
- DR-4590 (2021): severe winter storms
- DR-4570 (2020): hurricane delta
- DR-4559 (2020): hurricane laura
- DR-4345 (2017): tropical storm harvey
This county: 4245 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1978, most recent 2026.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
- DR-4611 (2021): hurricane ida
- DR-4590 (2021): severe winter storms
- DR-4570 (2020): hurricane delta
- DR-4559 (2020): hurricane laura
- DR-4462 (2019): flooding
This county: 1659 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1978, most recent 2026.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
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Questions
- Is there a Red Flag Warning in Louisiana and Texas right now?
- Yes. The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has a Red Flag Warning for parts of central and southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas from 11 AM Friday to 1 AM CDT Saturday.
- Which areas are covered by the Red Flag Warning?
- The warning covers fire weather zones Vernon, Rapides, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Tyler, Northern Jasper and Northern Newton.
- What conditions are behind this Red Flag Warning?
- A frontal passage brings breezy, dry conditions with very dry fuels. Winds are north at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, and relative humidity may drop as low as 30 percent.
Sources
- National Weather Service offices: Shreveport LA, Lake Charles LA: Red Flag Warning, Oct 16, 2026 weather.gov
- FEMA OpenFEMA: NFIP claims and disaster declarations fema.gov
How this page is made. The Herebeat Hazard Desk builds event pages from official U.S. government data (National Weather Service, USGS, FEMA). The text is written with AI from that data; every number and quote is checked against the official source automatically before publishing, and the page is updated when the agency updates the event. The official source is always the reference. Spotted a mistake? info@herebeat.app. About the Hazard Desk.