Red Flag Parking Restrictions

The City of Los Angeles declares a Red Flag Day when the weather conditions are such that the potential for a fast-moving brush fire is extremely high. The conditions are defined as wind speeds 25 mph or more and humidity 15% or less.

Over the past years, the maximum number of Red Flag days has been 12. The average of Red Flag days per year is 4 to 7.

Fire Department Station Commanders were asked to survey their districts and identify the areas that would create a problem for citizens while evacuating and for fire companies entering the area during a fast moving brush fire. Station Commanders were directed to identify narrow roads, tight curves, and critical intersections that would create choke points. The areas identified were reviewed by the Fire and Transportation Departments to make sure the criteria for posting was accurate. Once identified, the Department of Transportation took the role of posting signs.

The potential for a choke point being created is a daily concern in the identified areas, but during a situation of mass exodus during a brush fire event a choke point can trap, hinder, or delay lifesaving efforts from first responders.

• Residents can choose to receive push-notifications (text, phone, email) via the LAFD Red Flag Notification System
• Residents can visit www.lafd.org to check the current status of the flag located in www.lafd.org/redflag
• Every local news outlet has agreed to broadcast during traffic, and weather segments that the City of Los Angeles is in a Red Flag situation
• Every fire station will fly a red flag during the declaration. 

Radio and Television weather reports are broadcast to a wider community than the City of Los Angeles, and the information they share on “Red Flag Warnings” for instance, may not apply to the areas served by Your LAFD. Visit www.lafd.org or contact your local LAFD fire station to determine if the Red Flag Parking Restrictions have been enacted.

When fire weather conditions in the City of Los Angeles dictate that special parking restrictions be enacted, Fire Department staff will activate the Red Flag Alert System. The System will send a notification to all subscribers of the system via text, phone, or email depending on the selections made during registration. 

The Red Flag Alert System is an Opt-In System and as such does not store any information other than that which was provided by the registrant. 

Red Flag Alert System data is not shared, distributed, traded, leased, or loaned to any private or public party. Access to the information stored is only accessible to a limited number of members in the City of Los Angeles Fire Department. 

When the System encounters a busy signal, the system will attempt to deliver the message to the secondary point of contact provided by the registrant; if one is provided. 

The System is an Opt-In system; hence, it is considered incomplete for a resident outreach campaign. As an advisory system, the System only provides important versus critical information. During an established emergency the City, County, and other government entities will coordinate to disseminate information through all available communication channels.

The System will call your primary number, if there is no answer the system will call your secondary number if one is provided. The System is programmed to leave a message if it encounters a recording device. Furthermore, the System will only make one attempt per device.

Yes. The area code does not impact whether or not a call is made. In addition, the program is aware that, from time to time, guests, visitors, and other entities can have an extended visit to the City and as such we owe the same courtesy to all registrants.

The System works with call screening devices but it is best practice to add the communication information to your screening device. Failure to add the Red Flag Alert System information may result in a failed delivery. In relation to E-mail's spam filters, the System cannot circumvent such technology. To receive an prompt and accurate message the System's E-mail address must be allowed to pass.

The System is interactive. The registrant is given options on how to process the call. At a given time during the call, the registrant is given an option to repeat the message or terminate the call.

How do I change or delete the information I registered?
The registrant may use the log in feature in the System to change or delete contact information.