COUNTIES: SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-

531 PM CDT MON JUL 23 2012

…WILD FIRE DANGER INCREASING ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA…

THE COMBINATION OF VERY DRY CONDITIONS…AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES FROM 95 TO 105 DEGREES…HUMIDITY FROM 20 TO 40 PERCENT AND A SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH HAVE COMBINED TO PRODUCE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR WILD FIRES ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE SITUATION IS MOST DANGEROUS IN GRASSY AREAS AND RANGELAND. THE HOT AND DRY WEATHER PATTERN WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH MIDWEEK. DURING THIS TIME…REFRAIN FROM OUTDOOR BURNING AND BE VERY CAREFUL WITH SMOKING MATERIALS. SEVERAL COUNTIES HAVE BURN BANS IN EFFECT. PLEASE CHECK IN YOUR COUNTY BEFORE BURNING.

ANY OPEN FIRE COULD SPREAD EASILY. A COOL FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY WILL PROVIDE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES AND COOLER TEMPERATURES SHOULD SHOULD DIMINISH THE FIRE THREAT.