MADISON COUNTY - The National Weather Service in St. Louis and area fire chiefs emphasized the importance of abiding by a Red Flag Warning from 12 p.m until 5 p.m today.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The National Weather Service said a combination of low humidity, strong winds, and dry fuels will make conditions favorable for extreme fire behavior. Fires that do start have the potential to spread quickly, the NWS said. Edwardsville had a bad brush fire Wednesday night and it was joined by Roxana, Holiday Shores and Prairietown Fire Department.
"A Red Flag Warning means there is a rather extreme fire hazard," he said. "There should be no outdoor burning during this time. The risk of embers rapidly spreading fire out of control is very high. People should also be careful with other heat-generating activities like welding, grinding, and working with machinery in the grass or dry debris-covered areas. Even cigarette butts should be disposed of carefully making sure they are fully extinguished. Winds are predicted to gust up to 45 mph today. This combination of high winds and very dry fuels can cause fires to start and spread easily."
More like this:
