Area officials advise against outdoor burning after brush fires

County and emergency officials advised against outdoor burning Tuesday as several area fire departments spent the day battling brush fires.

County officials in Scott, Cape Girardeau and Perry counties issued no-burn orders this week.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission issued a no-burn advisory Tuesday, citing a combination of temperature, low humidity, dry ground cover and strong winds.

“All county residents are advised to postpone open outdoor burning until the fire danger decreases,” officials said in a news release posted on the county government’s website.

“If you are driving or working outdoors, be extremely careful to discard smoking materials. The grass along the highways is very dry and could easily ignite. Campers and hunters should be extremely careful,” the release stated.

Cape Girardeau County Emergency Management director Dick Knaup said Tuesday afternoon wind gusts were clocked as high as 24 miles per hour.

Firefighters with the Gordonville Fire Protection District battled a small brush fire along Bloomfield Road near the historic Elmwood home Tuesday.

Gordonville firefighter Jerry Siemers said falling leaves and other dry tinder are fueling the brush fires.

“It is just basically a powder keg out there,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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