Rain across the Ozarks has been sparse this October, to say the least. Dry conditions over the entirety of the month along with warm temperatures have led to well-suited conditions for fires for most of the Ozarks.
The good news is that rain is in the forecast for this week, with many weather services predicting precipitation around Wednesday. However, burn bans remain in effect today. High winds will continue to sweep through the area, keeping the fire risk elevated.
Currently, most of the state of Arkansas remains within burn ban status, with a large chunk of the state being listed as an “extreme fire risk” area.
For now, if you must burn, closely monitor your fires, but it’s best to avoid lighting any fires until conditions improve.
See below for the most current burn ban map for Arkansas: