Wind Ahead Of Rain? Fuel For Forest Fires

You'll be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn't welcome a rain shower after weeks of heat and drought in the region.

But here's one: the forest firefighter, whose work in Missouri's forests might become more difficult — and dangerous — today.

Why? What comes before rain? Wind. And wind, combined with already tinderbox-dry trees can spread fire...like...well, wildfire.

Wednesday in the final portion of Up to Date, Steve Kraske welcomes back Mark Nelson, the Missouri Department of Conservation's regional forestry director who is monitoring the situation here in the Heartland very closely.  We'll discuss how fires start, how they're extinguished, and how the Missouri Department of Conservation works with fire departments to respond to fires.

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Credit National Weather Service / NOAA

Much of Missouri is under a high alert for forest fires Wednesday.