Warm temperatures, dry conditions and gusting winds are combining to make conditions extremely dangerous for open burning in many areas of Iowa, with burn bans active in 22 counties.
In southwest Iowa, Glenwood Fire Chief Matt Gray says his department tackled a ditch fire along Interstate 29 on Monday afternoon, but as crews were working to contain the blaze, the winds shifted and the flames quickly spread into a nearby cornfield.
“A bunch of the stuff that was leftover from the previous harvest, the corn and stuff like that, was so dry and with the speed of the wind, it was all we could do to keep it contained,” Gray says. “It got up on a levee and burned through that. There was a bunch of high brome grass in there that burned and there were several trees that caught fire.”
Gray says they requested mutual aid from the Oak Township Fire Department as well as from Malvern once the fire spread. Ultimately, he says the blaze consumed between five and eight acres. Despite recent precipitation, Gray says conditions are still ripe for brush fires.
“With the wind speeds and all the dry fuels laying on the ground. That’s basically like pouring gasoline on the ground, lighting it, and letting it go,” Gray says. “It’s very flammable, spreads fast, and with the wind, it’s just hard to control.”
Even in areas where burn bans are not in effect, Gray urges everyone to be extremely cautious, and that includes campfires, grills and farm equipment.
“Basically, you’re not supposed to be doing any open burning at all unless you have a burn permit signed from the fire chief who goes out and selects the area that you’re going to burn,” Gray says. “That’s the only way you can do any type of open burning right now.”
During burn bans, residents are reminded not to throw cigarettes from moving vehicles and to stop burning yard waste, piled tree debris, or other items. Violations of a burn ban can subject a person to criminal penalties and civil liabilities for any damages, losses, or injuries resulting from a fire.
(By Ethan Hewett, KMA, Shenandoah)