Elevated Fire Danger for Cass County, Indiana on Wednesday, April 12, 2023

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Last Updated on April 12, 2023 by Cass County Emergency Management Agency

UPDATE: As of Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service has updated Cass County to a Red Flag Warning from noon to 8 p.m.

RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON EDT /11 AM CDT/ TODAY TO 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA…

  • TIMING…From noon until 8 PM EDT today.
  • WINDS…Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
  • RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 20 percent.
  • TEMPERATURES…Highs near 80.
  • IMPACTS…The combination of strong winds, very low relative humidity and abnormally dr conditions will promote rapid spread of any fires. The threat will be greatest in rural areas where fine dead fuels will continue to dry out and be susceptible to rapid fire spread from any ignition source.
    Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now….or will shortly. A combination of strong winds…low relative humidity…and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

INITIAL INFO from Cass County Emergency Management Agency as of Tuesday:

The National Weather Service (NWS) Northern Indiana has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Cass County area, with a special emphasis on Wednesday, April 12 between noon and 8pm.

Cass County Emergency Management Agency requests the assistance of the public in avoiding burning outdoors during this time.

Drying of fields has already been observed. Cass County fire departments responded to at least two field fires yesterday, April 10.

The following guidelines are required anytime burning takes place per 326 IAC 4-1:

  • Burning must be done during safe weather conditions, NOT during high winds or when the air is stagnant
  • Fires must be attended until completely extinguished
  • Fires must be extinguished if they create a nuisance or fire hazard

A water source adequate to extinguish the fire should also be readily available.

The need for repeated fire department response for those who continue to burn once the fire has been extinguished can result in fines and citations under state law and county ordinances.

Much of Cass County’s land mass is served by unmanned volunteer fire stations. Additional travel time is required for personnel to respond to stations, get fire apparatus, and respond to scenes. During this delay, fires can grow exponentially. Additionally, simultaneous fires can deplete limited resources rapidly making it more difficult to control fires once started.

Citizens are encouraged to monitor media and NWS updates for further watch and advisory conditions. As of Tuesday, Cass County was under ELEVATED Fire Weather Forecast, which means “Brush & Grass fires can steadily spread.”

Higher level advisories for fire weather include:
CRITICAL: Fires start easily & spread rapidly, fires may be difficult to control
EXTREME: Fires start quickly & spread furiously, fires may be unmanageable. This may also be referred to as a RED FLAG WARNING

We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and implement additional measures as necessary.

SOURCE: News Release from Cass County Emergency Management Agency

Cass County Online