Statewide Iowa — Even with all of the rain lately, the new map from the US Drought Monitor shows large sections of northern and central Iowa remain in moderate to severe drought while big swaths of our area are abnormally dry.
Maureen Brooks, wildfire prevention program manager at the USDA Forest Service, says folks who will be going camping soon and need to take particular care if they plan to light a campfire.
Farmers and landowners who might be doing prescribed or controlled burns on their acreages need to heed any local burn bans or restrictions. Even those who are cutting grass or brush need to be especially watchful for potential fires.
That means carrying multiple fire extinguishers or having immediate access to water. When the vegetation is this dry for months on end, Brooks says everyone needs to be vigilant for potential firestarters.
Nationally, she says nearly nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans and could’ve been prevented.
