Don’t Drive on Grass: Critical Fire Warning in Place Across Midwest

Fires may spread rapidly today across a large portion of the Central and Northern Plains, the National Weather Service (NWS) has warned.

Very strong winds coupled with low humidity prompted the NWS’s Storm Prediction Center to raise the concern level to “critical” for portions of Nebraska and South Dakota, while an “elevated” threat level is in place for parts of northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming.

Red Flag Warnings are also in place, meaning people in affected areas must take action to reduce the risk of fires.

Speaking to Newsweek, NWS meteorologist Michaela Wood warned that people should avoid driving on grass and not use outdoor grills if possible. “Fires can start quickly on these types of days; even just a little spark on the ground can start spreading quickly,” she said.

Trailer chains are another concern and should not be allowed to drag along the ground.

Other advice from the NWS includes not throwing cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles, extinguishing any outdoor fires properly by drowning them with plenty of water and stirring until everything is cold to touch, and never leave a fire unattended. If you do find an unattended fire, report it immediately.

Wood said the risk is being enhanced by the fall season. “We have a lot of plants that will turn green in the summer, and then they’ll kind of dry out in the fall. So now we have a lot of dry fuel across the area.

“The other thing is that our relative humidity is low, so the air is very dry. That’s going to be met with some strong, dusty winds, and when you have all of that coming together, small fires can get out of control quickly.”

Some sustained winds of over 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour, have been reported in the Midwest.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) has asked that farmers be careful.

“Farmers and gardeners sometimes burn off fields for weeds or to remove the remains of harvested material. If you are planning to use fire, do your homework first,” the center said in its report on Monday.

“You will likely need to acquire a permit or otherwise coordinate with local authorities, to prevent false wildland fire alarms, among other things…If possible, create a fire line around the perimeter by clearing all debris to bare dirt.”

The critical threat will diminish into tomorrow. However, the Fire Weather Outlook will remain elevated for an area extending from north-central Montana to far northeast Colorado, as well as southern Wyoming.

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