Dry end to April leads to fire danger across Mid-Missouri

Now that spring has sprung, so has the increase in brush fires across the state. Brush fire season in Missouri is in the spring and fall, thanks to a combination of dead vegetation, low humidity, and high winds. Although the spring-growth is taking hold across the state the risk for brush fires still remains in place, due to the dead vegetation over the fall and winter months.

Just this week, firefighters have had to deal with numerous brush fires across the region. Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Brad Frazier said in a statement to ABC 17 that due to these conditions, fire permits haven’t been issued for either Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks to the driest April ever recorded for Columbia, drought conditions are slowly popping back up across the region. It’s the perfect recipe for brush fires to spread, especially with windy conditions expected to continue into Wednesday.

With the weather being much nicer than we saw in April, it’s driving more people outdoors. It’s important to remember that any outdoor activities like camping, grilling and doing yard work all have the potential to ignite a spark. While many assume that they can keep a fire controlled, the recent dry spell, high winds, and low humidity will allow for a fire to spread rapidly.

Good news is that rain is expected to arrive in the forecast tomorrow and last through early Friday morning, which should decrease the fire danger. With southerly winds expected to stick around through the end of the week as well, this will add more humidity to the air. This will reduce the chances of a fire growing out of control and will also allow firefighters to take down any brush fire quicker.

With fire conditions still present across Mid-Missouri, there is some advice you can follow to limit the start of a brush fire.

– Keep matches and lighters away from children.

– Refrain from any open burning of leaves, brush or debris whenever fire conditions are in place.

– Smokers should be extremely careful of where they extinguish their butts.

– Use caution when driving off-road vehicles, as they can easily spark and ignite a fire.

– When using a fire pit, avoid using soft woods that are likely to pop and throw sparks.

Stay with ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather as we track the upcoming rain in the forecast and follow us on Twitter @ABC17Stormtrack.