Don't burn anything outdoors, please: Fire Marshal announces Red Flag warning

 
Dry, windy conditions prompt fire marshal to discourage burning
BY KATE WARD Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Wednesday, January 21, 2009
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/73284
Fire Marshal discourages open burning with Red Flag alert
The Washington County Fire Marshal's Office issued a red flag fire alert Tuesday because of dry, windy conditions.
"Outside burning should be avoided if at all possible," Washington County Fire Marshal John Jenkins said. "We've had numerous grass and brush fires throughout the county in the past several days."
A red flag alert is not a burn ban, but residents are urged to use extreme caution. The alert indicates that the fire marshal believes fires will start and spread rapidly and that every fire has the potential to become large and difficult to control.
Residents should expect extreme and erratic fire behavior. Outside burning during this period should be avoided.
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Fayetteville is 1.26 inches below the normal amount of rainfall for the month of January.
"The lack of moisture in the air combined with high winds has created a lot of dead, dry vegetation," Jenkins said. "While outside burning has not been prohibited yet, we are strongly discouraging it."
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