The Bowie County Commissioners Court has issued an outdoor burn ban, which is in effect due to dry and hot conditions across the county.The ban will stay in place until we get appreciable rainfall to alleviate the dangerously dry conditions. Bowie County joins Cass County in Northeast Texas, which also has a burn ban in place.

Across Southwest Arkansas, Miller, Little River, Lafayette, Hempstead, and Howard Counties are each under outdoor burn bans as well.

The National Weather Service says the lack of rainfall during the month of July, and so far in August, has quickly dried out the region. The area received excessive rainfall during the spring and early part of the summer, which led to flooding along the Red River and other rivers and tributaries.

However, with the 100-plus degree heat and the virtual lack of rainfall the past month and a half it has led to rapidly increasing short-term drought conditions, making wildfire danger spike quickly.

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