The National Weather Service red flag warning issued Monday may lead to more fire warnings for the region, according to Alex Edwards, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Bismarck.
"The warm and dry pattern continues," he said, looking ahead in the Jamestown area forecast. "It is hard to see any change from those trends in the foreseeable future."
Looking back, Jamestown has received 1.71 inches of moisture since Oct. 1, according to measurements taken at the North Dakota State Hospital, Edwards said. That compares to a normal of 4.54 inches of moisture. This past winter has been the driest since the winter of 1962 to 1963 when there were 1.33 inches of moisture.
Jerry Bergquist, Stutsman County emergency manager and 911 coordinator, said Monday's weather prompted a red flag warning and a very high fire danger rating.
"On top of that we had a high wind warning," he said. "... a fire with that kind of dryness and wind would be impossible to control."
The Stutsman County open burning ordinance prohibits open fires whenever the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning or the North Dakota Wildfire Assessment System places Stutsman County in the very high or extreme fire danger ratings.
The ordinance prohibits burning within Stutsman County. This includes starting, conducting, allowing, maintaining or soliciting any open burn activities. Violations of the open burning ordinance will be enforced. A violation is a Class B misdemeanor, for which a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail anda fine of $1,500.
The ordinance is enforced in all of Stutsman County except Jamestown which has its own fire ordinance.
Jim Reuther, Jamestown fire chief, said the department is prepared for the dry and windy conditions.
"With the winds coming up we could have a huge problem if we have a fire," he said. "If we had a call, we'd have to protect the surrounding structures."
Reuther said the Jamestown Fire Department had not responded to any grass fires this spring, although vegetation in town is dry. The department had prepared the tools used to fight grass fires in case it is called to provide aid to any of the area's rural fire departments.
Bergquist reported rural fire departments in Stutsman County had responded to seven grass fires from March 1-28. The Jamestown Rural Fire Department responded to three grass fires during the week of March 22.
Information on the fire danger in Stutsman County is updated daily and included at the top of the county's website www.co.stutsman.nd.us.
"danger" - Google News
March 30, 2021 at 06:00PM
https://ift.tt/3fya3uN
High fire danger expected to continue in Stutsman County - Jamestown Sun
"danger" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bVUlF0
https://ift.tt/3f9EULr
No comments:
Post a Comment