Northwest Iowa — With around 15 fire calls over the weekend in the four northwest Iowa counties, fire chiefs in the area are urging extreme caution.
One of the fires was just south of the Carnes area on Highway 60 in Plymouth County. Le Mars Fire Chief David Schipper, who is a former investigator for the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office says that with grass this dry and winds this strong, it’s a recipe for disaster.
Old fires that rekindled and controlled burns that got out of control got at least some of the blame for the numerous fires to which firefighters were called over the weekend.
The National Weather Service issued several wind advisories for the area for strong south winds gusting at least 45 miles per hour. The weather service says that the strong winds and dry surface fuels combine for a very high fire danger and they also discourage open burning.
Fire chiefs remind you that hot parts or sparks from equipment can start a fire easily in conditions like this. They also urge caution with smoking materials and advise never to drop a lit cigarette from a moving vehicle.
