Fairbury Rural Fire Department puts burn ban in place amid Red Flag conditions

JEFFERSON COUNTY, NE — As southeast Nebraska grapples with dry conditions, the Fairbury Rural Fire Department has put a burn ban in place. 

The FRFD says they will not allow any burn permits to be activated on Friday, April 7. Although conditions may seem favorable in the morning, humidity levels are expected to drop fast and winds will pick up before noon, according to the department. 

The Fire Chief has discretion to issue burn bans, and many do when an area is in Red Flag conditions. 

"Just remember, a burn plan was filled out when the burn permit was issued. If you burn and conditions are outside the weather you indicated, or you don't have the equipment/manpower you put on your plan, you are burning outside the plan and can be issued a fine if the fire gets away," the department wrote in a Facebook post. 

The National Weather Service has placed many counties in southeast Nebraska, including Jefferson, Saline, Thayer, Fillmore Lancaster and Seward counties in a Red Flag Warning from 1-8 p.m. Friday. Humidity levels are forecast to be as low as 18 percent and winds will blow out of the south at 15-20 miles-per-hour with gusts up to 30 mph.