Burn advisory issued in Cape Girardeau County

Following a hazardous weather outlook issued at 3:24 a.m. Thursday by the Paducah, Kentucky, office of National Weather Service, Cape Girardeau County commissioners have issued a burn advisory for the county, effective immediately.

NWS is urging residents to exercise caution through at least Tuesday for what the agency called “wildfire danger.”

A statement released by Mark Winkler, director of the county’s Office of Emergency Management, warns of combustible conditions because of “a combination of temperature, low humidity, dry ground covering and possible increasing winds.”

Winkler’s statement advised the short-term postponing of open outdoor burning.

“If you are driving or working outdoors be extremely careful,” Winkler added, noting smoking materials should safely be extinguished with special attention to campers and hunters in the field.

“We want to caution folks against burning until conditions change,” Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said.

Sam Herndon, the county’s deputy emergency management director, spoke to the commission Thursday, recommending the advisory be put in place.

“We’re seeing small brush fires in fields, and this kind of thing can get away from you pretty quick,” Herndon said, adding rain is not expected in the county until the end of next week.

Herndon further noted the potential danger to houses and barns given exceptionally dry weather.

Second District Commissioner Charlie Herbst said an exception to the burn advisory might be made for working farmers who need to utilize burning in their land management.

Data

Very little rain has been seen in Cape Girardeau County in September, according to statistics compiled by Weather Underground.

The organization’s data show 0.58 inches of precipitation was recorded in the county Sept. 4 with 0.05 inches seen Sept. 22.

The weather service’s hazardous weather outlook includes 10 counties in Southeast Missouri: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Mississippi, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne.

NWS-Paducah issued this statement Thursday: “A prolonged stretch of dry weather has dried out grass and brush across southeast Missouri, parts of southern Illinois and much of western Kentucky. Low relative humidity and gusty northeast winds will be favorable for the rapid spread of fires.”