IOWA, USA — Parts of Iowa are under a Red Flag Warning until 6 p.m. Sunday with 40+ mph wind gusts throughout the day and humidity continuing to stay low.
That puts Iowa in the very high and extreme fire danger levels across the state. The wind conditions will slowly ease up as the new week begins, but we still have a severe to an extreme drought across the state. With the current drought Iowa is in, several counties have decided to put burn bans into effect.
What is a burn ban?
A burn ban is a temporary legal restriction on outdoor burning. During the bans, burning of any kind that has an opening larger than 1 square inch is prohibited.
Violating a burn ban is a misdemeanor, and you could be given a fine based on not only damages but how it contributed to air pollution. If you violate the burn ban and it turns into a larger fire, there would be heftier charges.
Not all burn bans are the same, and some counties may have stricter rules. Check with your county to get details on your local burn ban before having an open flame of any kind.
Who is under a burn ban?
- Adair County
- Audubon County
- Butler County
- Carroll County
- Cass County
- Cedar County
- Clake County
- Clinton County
- Dallas County
- Decatur County
- Floyd County
- Greene County
- Guthrie County
- Harrison County
- Jasper County
- Mahaska County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Mills County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Muscatine County
- Page County
- Pottawattamie County
- Poweshiek County
- Scott County
- Tama County
- Union County
- Warren County
- Wapello County
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.