The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for today, March 8, to discourage outdoor burning. 

The red flag warning is for portions of eastern and central Missouri as well as west central and southwest Illinois. It includes Warren County and it’s five surrounding counties of Franklin, Gasconade, Lincoln, Montgomery and St. Charles.

“If there’s a red flag warning, we’re asking folks not to burn,” said Chief Mike Owenby of the Warrenton Fire Protection District. “It means that conditions are such that a fire could very easily get out of hand because of the winds and everything on the ground is dry.” 

Dry foliage is more flammable than usual. Add a wind gust and the flame can spread quickly.

Area firefighters have been putting out a number of brush fires this season.

“We had a 45-acre natural cover fire, or brush fire, the other day. Someone was burning and it got out of hand in a hurry,” Owenby said. The fire spread and damaged a neighbor’s property, he added. 

One summer Owenby recalled going on as many as eight runs a day to put out brush fires. It was just too dry to burn safely. 

Owenby said people can find out about red flag warnings through the National Weather Service or their local fire departments before they burn. In Warrenton, they should call dispatch at 456-7088, he said. 

In addition to calling the fire department to notify them of the burn and confirm weather conditions, he offered these tips to burn safely: 

• Keep the fire small and work in small sections.

• Always have a water source available.

• Work with a partner. 

• Have a cell phone handy, in case 911 is needed. 

• Know what cannot be burned, based on state law, such as furniture, tires, plastics and household waste.

• And do not burn when a red flag warning is in effect. 

The National Weather Service is forecasting snow across most of the area late Friday night and Saturday. Snow is also likely Monday morning across northeast and central Missouri and west central Illinois.