It’s a dangerous day for wildfires in Iowa. The mild spring weather feels good to us, with highs a very comfortable 70 or so and the humidity very low. Unfortunately, combined with lots of dry vegetation left from the winter, it means a rangeland fire danger in the “high” category, or “extreme,” or even “Critical.” Southerly winds will pick up today (Friday), increasing the danger than any spark can begin a grassfire that will rage out of control. Conservation officers and fire marshals warn that debris burning is the number-one cause of wildfires and many locations won’t let you burn without special permission. The risk is highest in parts of northeastern Nebraska, northwest Iowa, southwestern Minnesota and southeast South Dakota.
