RED FLAG WARNING on Monday for the Cedar Valley

With winds expected to gust up to 50 MPH combined with low humidity, spring burning is NOT recommended across Eastern Iowa on Monday, March, 29th.

From the National Weather Service in Des Moines:

Monday will be warm, dry, and windy which will create elevated to extreme fire weather conditions on Monday afternoon into early evening. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for most of the area on Monday. Burning is NOT recommended.

With winds gusts up to 50 MPH, combined with low humidity a brush pile may spread rapidly and could become uncontrollable with the high winds.

The Red Flag Warning runs from 12 PM to 8PM for portions of Eastern Iowa, including the counties of:

Palo Alto-Pocahontas-Humboldt-Wright-Sac-Calhoun-Webster-Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black Hawk-Crawford-Carroll-Greene-Boone-Story-Marshall-Tama-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Polk-Jasper-Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union-Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne-Appanoose-Davis-

According to the National Weather Service: A Red Flag Warning is issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours. A Fire Weather Watch is issued when weather conditions could exist in the next 12-72 hours. A Red Flag Warning is the highest alert. During these times extreme caution is urged by all residents, because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire.

Red Flag Warnings are usually only issued during the spring and fall fire weather seasons, February 15 – April 30 and October 1 - December 15