If you had plans to conduct a controlled burn Tuesday, you definitely have to change those plans. And you may well have to put off any fire activity until next week.
All area counties are under red flag warnings from the National Weather Service, meaning all outdoor burn activity is banned until the warnings expire Tuesday evening:
*Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage, Wabaunsee counties: Red flag warning 11 am-6 pm
*Chase, Greenwood counties; Red flag warning 7 am-8 pm
The warnings signal high temperatures approaching 80 degrees, wind gusts up to 40 mph, dry grasses and humidity levels as low as 20 percent — meaning fires that develop can go out of control quickly and spread rapidly.
Wind advisories also cover all area counties:
*Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties: 5 pm Tuesday to 3 am Wednesday.
*Chase, Greenwood counties: Noon Tuesday to 2 am Wednesday.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued a verbal state of disaster emergency for wildland fires across Kansas, reflecting the fire danger for the entire week. Besides allowing state resources to help local entities, this also opens the State Emergency Operations Center to help local and county responders through the rest of the week.
KVOE and KVOE.com will keep you updated.
