Dry weather, warm temperatures and 15 to 30 mph wind speeds Thursday afternoon prompted the National Weather Service in Chicago to issue a first-ever Red Flag Warning for DeKalb County.

The conditions created a higher-than-normal risk for wildfires in the county and in Chicago suburbs, according to the National Weather Service.

Bruce Harrison, DeKalb Fire Department’s assistant fire chief, said he informed firefighters of the warning. But, he said, “it wouldn’t change my day.”

University Police Lt. Matt Kiederlen was unaware of the warning but said it’s just a matter of being aware of the situation.

“We don’t do anything specific,” he said. Kiederlen didn’t expect the warning to impact tailgating at NIU’s Spring Football Game or the Dave Chappelle show.

Midwest forecasters use the alert to warn land managers of an imminent or ongoing weather event that could cause dangerous fire activity.

Relative humidity in the air was expected to remain at about 15 to 20 percent over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning was issued Thursday afternoon and was scheduled to expire at 6 p.m., NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste said.

Both the air and ground are very dry, and field and forest fires can be started, particularly from cigarette or grilling ashes, Gilbert said.

Grasslands and open fields in parks are in specific danger. Cornfields are in the process of being plowed, so dead vegetation will be uprooted, causing less of a concern for corn farmers, Harrison said.

“Because of the dry land, a smaller fire could quickly become widespread, causing damage to property,” Harrison said. Residents should be careful when grilling or disposing cigarettes.