Fire Risk Alert: Dry Air and Low Humidity Today - Use Caution
A Special Weather Statement has been issued for parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky today, October 8th, warning of increased fire risk due to dry air and low humidity; residents should use extra caution with outdoor burning.
Residents across a wide area of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and western Kentucky are advised to use extra caution regarding outdoor burning today, October 8th. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Paducah, KY, has issued a Special Weather Statement due to drier air moving into the region.
Minimum relative humidity values are expected to fall into the 15 to 20 percent range, particularly in southern Illinois along and north of Route 13, southwest Indiana, and the Pennyrile region of west Kentucky. Winds will be light, coming from the east-northeast at 5 mph or less. This combination of low humidity and light winds increases the risk of fires spreading rapidly if outdoor burning is undertaken.
This Special Weather Statement is effective from its issuance at 12:52 AM CDT on October 8th and is expected to expire at 5:00 PM CDT today. Affected counties include Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Hardin in Illinois; Gibson, Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer in Indiana; and Crittenden, Caldwell, Union, Webster, Hopkins, Christian, Henderson, Daviess, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd in Kentucky.
If you are planning outdoor burning today, the NWS urges you to use extra caution. Be aware of local regulations and consider postponing any burning activities until conditions improve.

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