Dry conditions and a continued lack of rainfall have Kendall County’s fire index numbers rapidly rising, forcing Fire Marshal Brady Constantine to declare a countywide burn ban.
The mandatory countywide burn ban took effect at midnight Tuesday, Oct. 7, and will last for seven days until the Kendall County Commission meets Oct. 14.
Constantine said the county’s burn index number Tuesday was 572, up from 560 just two days earlier. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index ranges from 0 to 800, where 0 represents no moisture depletion, and 800 represents absolutely dry conditions.
A 600 reading is a tipping point, associated with more severe drought with increased wildfire occurrence. “Intense, deep burning fires with significant downwind spotting can be expected,” the KBDI website explains.
Constantine said the county has responded to four grassfires in the past 48 hours, and with little-to-no rain forecast, the ban was reinforced. He expects to tell the County Commission at that Oct. 14 meeting the ban needs to be expanded for 90 days, unless conditions change.
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