FORT SMITH, Ark. — It's been dry across Arkansas and Oklahoma. Everyone is mowing less frequently and now planned fires will have to be less frequent as well. Burn bans have been issued for:
-Crawford County (Arkansas):
-Le Flore County (Oklahoma): Misdemeanor and up to a $500 fine
-Sebastian County (Arkansas): Fines between $25 - $300
WHAT CAN I NOT BURN?
Every county judge has jurisdiction as to what can or cannot be burned. Generally outdoor or open burning of brush, debris, trash, and other materials that may cause a forest, grass, crop, or wildlands fire is prohibited.
HOW DRY ARE WE?
A drought has not been declared for the region, but abnormally dry conditions continue to persist. A cold front earlier this week (mid-Sept) brought rain to Northwest Arkansas and the eastern River Valley, but not in the Fort Smith area or surrounding areas.
Many locations, especially in the yellow color could use 2-4+ inches of rain to breakeven for the past few months.
For 2021 so far, some cities like Fort Smith are technically above-average for rainfall (we've received over 35 inches so far). The data is skewed however by very heavy rains in April, May, and even some storms in July. August and September have been exceptionally dry.
To see the latest burn bans in effect for Arkansas, tap HERE.
To see the latest burn bans in effect for Oklahoma, tap HERE.
If an open fire gets out of control, it can easily spread across dry vegetation at a fast pace. This creates a threat to the community and threatens those attempting to extinguish it.
-5NEWS Weather
Forecasting more dry weather into the first weekend of fall: