By Sam Parsons

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a warning today regarding burning conditions.

The NWS says that, due to high winds, there will be very high fire danger today in central Iowa from mid day through the late afternoon. Breezy southwest winds from 15-20 mph with gusts up to 25-30 mph, along with dry surface vegetation and a low relative humidity between 20 to 30 percent, mean that any fires that ignite will spread rapidly.

Several counties in the area still have burn bans in effect. The counties of Jasper, Poweshiek, Monroe, and Wapello, as well as the Barnes City Fire District of Mahaska County, all have active burn bans, while Marion County lifted its burn ban this weekend.