The National Weather Service says there’s an elevated fire risk for farmers and ranchers in the Central Plains.
Eric Snodgrass, an atmospheric scientist with Nutrient Ag Solutions, says dryness and high winds are fueling a potentially dangerous situation. “Bare soil with whatever is left of the vegetation will dry out quickly,” he says. “You combine that with the fact with this whole wintertime period even going back to last fall has seen some very, very strong wind events and we have this risk for grass fires and wildfires so spread should they catch.”
The NWS is forecasting fire danger in central and Eastern Nebraska, parts of Southwestern and West-Central Iowa and areas of Kansas with wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour and low humidity.
