Automatic burn bans are now in place for Lyon County and two nearby counties with a red flag warning now announced.
Lyon, Morris and Wabaunsee counties are in a red flag warning and automatic burn bans from noon to 6 pm Saturday. Chase County is not in a red flag warning but the county is now in a burn ban through Saturday. Likewise, Osage County is not in a red flag warning, but it is in a burn ban from 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday.
Burning is banned in the Emporia city limits any time wind speeds are above 15 mph.
National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Skow says there are three main criteria for issuing a red flag warning.
In our area counties that are not under a red flag warning, outdoor burning will be strongly discouraged through Saturday with low humidity levels and wind gusts as high as 40 mph. Skow also says people need to be extremely careful with smoking materials — mainly cigarettes but also outdoor cooking like grills — and he says the high winds will make driving conditions difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles like semi trucks.
We’ll keep you updated on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media.
