The State Fire Marshal’s office has burn bans in place for Wappello, Keokuk, Appanoose and Mahaska County as conditions in southeast Iowa continue to remain dangerously dry. Department of Public Safety spokesman Rob Hansen says such bans are usually instituted in the spring and summer, but without snow on the ground, or any rain, the bans are needed. Lieutenant Hansen says the bans will continue as long as things remain brown and dry. He says the bans will likely continue until there’s a good snowfall or rainfall. Hansen says this appears to be the extent of the burn bans for now. He says they don’t have any other requests for county burn bans at this point. Hansen says they’ll be watching the situation closely.