The Kansas Forest Service and the Nebraska Forest Service have declared a fuel and fire behavior advisory for Central Kansas and Nebraska. The severity of this situation has been coordinated via collaboration among the federal and state wildland fire agencies that represent the Rocky Mountain area and Southern Area Geographic Coordination Centers.

Critically dry conditions and delayed green up of vegetation have created a volatile landscape for extreme fire behavior in portions of Central Kansas and Nebraska (including northeast Kansas and southwest Nebraska). Oklahoma and Texas are experiencing the same conditions.

This advisory was issued April 11 and will remain active for 14 days.

Above normal temperatures during the past winter combined with below normal precipitation has created drought conditions in these regions. The dry conditions have persisted into April and have intensified over the last few weeks. As a result, the spring green up has been slow to develop and vegetation moisture is low.

Concerns to firefighters and the public:

Fires will grow exponentially if not suppressed quickly.

Any increase in wind will result in extreme fire behavior.

Typical barriers to spread of fire – including crop stubble, timber and leaf litter – instead are carrying and intensifying fire.