Significance: The frequent occurrence of fire accidents poses a serious threat to the safety of people's lives and properties. Thus it is vital to improve the accuracy and efficiency of fire warning systems. Currently, fire alarm sensors or detector systems can be used to provide an early warning of potential fire hazards. Existing conventional fire alarm detectors include infrared (IR) and smoke detectors, that trigger alarms by detecting heat radiation or smoke particles. However, these systems are susceptible to interference from environmental factors, resulting in false alarms or delayed warnings (>100 s). Progress: Unlike traditional smoke alarms, new fire warning sensors can provide timely responses in the early stages of a fire, providing a stronger guarantee for fire safety. Therefore, there has been increasing interest in smart fire warning materials and sensors that combine traditional passive fire retardant strategies with active fire alarm response. Carbon-based two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO), a typical representative of smart fire warning materials, is characterized by its positive feedback between electrical conductivity and temperature. This paper reviews local and international research progress in the field of GO-based fire early warning sensors. The working principle of GO-based sensors is first summarized, followed by detailed descriptions of current research on GO body materials and GO coating materials. Furthermore, we analyze in depth the practical applications of such sensors in a variety of application scenarios and requirements, demonstrating their wide range of application prospects. We also categorize GO-based fire warning sensor warning signals into traditional and remote and IoT-based alarm signals and then elaborate on these. Finally, we provide a comprehensive summary of the research on GO-based fire early warning sensors, which shows that GO-based fire alarm materials can provide sensitive fire alarm signals within < 10s, making them more sensitive than conventional fire alarm systems. Based on such updated information, we summarize the future research directions in this field. Conclusions and Prospects: Future research should focus on several aspects. First, the fire warning and fire protection performance of the GO coating can be further optimized by developing new coating materials and improving the structural design, while ensuring that it can quickly respond to fire and effectively stop it from spreading. Second, in optimizing the design of the response of organics to GO, researchers should consider the thermal response sensitivity of the functional groups and the properties of the organics themselves. In particular, quantifying the number of functional groups and the effect of pyrolysis of organics on fire warning can help establish a synergistic quantitative relationship between them. Such a relationship helps to precisely regulate the properties of the materials, thus achieving accurate and efficient fire warning functions. Third, a more reasonable preparation method must be proposed to realize the precise control of the number and type of functional groups on the GO surface. This can be achieved by precisely controlling the conditions of the chemical reaction, including temperature, time, and pH levels. Finally, the GO fire warning and fireproof coating technology must be integrated with the Internet of Things to realize real-time data monitoring, as well as remote control and automated response systems to improve their level of intelligence.