Windy, dry conditions have led to a higher risk for grass fires in Marion County and much of southern Iowa.

That means extra care should be followed during controlled burns. Knoxville Township Rural Fire Chief Kenny Thompson says some of the precautions people should take before doing a controlled burn include having a water source or bulldozer close by and notifying the county dispatcher that a burn in progress.
Thompson says if no one is around a controlled burn and the fire department is called out, they must put out the fire. He recommends that when conditions are extremely windy, residents should not burn at all.
Stay tuned to KNIA/KRLS for updates on the latest weather conditions.