In the afternoon of March 11th, a burn ban was enacted in Adair and Guthrie Counties.

According to Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Jeremy Cooper, the bans were effective immediately on Tuesday March 11th, and will continue to be in place until further notice. This is due to the dry conditions in the area. Cooper mentions that burn bans are put in place when there are extremely dry conditions, where the chances of a fire growing out of control are much higher than normal. He adds that a fire chief or Emergency Manager who is speaking on behalf of a majority of the fire chiefs in a county can request the issuance of a burn ban. Cooper explains that the penalty for violating a burn ban can be a simple misdemeanor citation, which requires a court appearance, and can carry a sentence of 30 days in jail and/or $105-$800 in fines if a person is found guilty of violating a burn ban.