Burn bans have been issued across a large swath of the South from the Southern Plains to the Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley. 

This is not the peak fire season for the region, and the threat is not driven by fire-weather conditions such as strong winds and low dew points.

The elevated fire threat is driven by drought conditions and an abundance of fuel for potential wildfires. And many of the counties under burn bans align with areas under extreme to exceptional drought conditions, especially from eastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma across Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.

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“Over the past 4 months, most locations across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and southwestern Tennessee have recorded 8 to 16 inches less precipitation than normal, or generally less than half of normal,” says an update from the National Drought Mitigation Center.

There is good news in store for some of the areas impacted by the significant drought conditions. 

The strengthening El Niño is fueling wetter-than-normal conditions for November across the Gulf Coast, though it does not extend far enough north to cover the entirety of the extreme to exceptional drought.

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What it means to be in a burn ban

If a burn ban is issued in your county or city, you are prohibited from doing any activities that involve an open flame and could lead to sparks escaping and igniting a wildfire.

If you are under a burn ban, check your local government ordinances to see what is specifically covered, because while some activities are banned across the board (campfires, debris burns, etc.), others are state, county or government specific, such as fire pits and charcoal grills.

In addition to the threat of igniting a wildfire that could cause significant damage to life and property, there are also legal consequences to breaking burn bans that can range from fines to felony charges.

Burn bans don’t end until they are officially lifted by the government agencies that issue them. A quick round of rain may moisten the soil and some of the potential fuel for a fire, but recovery from extreme drought takes time and extended moist weather patterns.

Burn bans are issued and removed by local and state governments on a daily basis, so always make sure to check if there are any in effect for your area before engaging in any activities that could be prohibited under a burn ban.

Sara Tonks is a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, along with a master’s degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.