Despite some rain in the Twin Lakes Area in the last couple of days, including 2.19 inches at the KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot studios in Mountain Home Wednesday night, burn bans are still in effect and the drought conditions have worsened.
A check with county judges offices in Baxter, Marion, Fulton, Izard, Stone, Searcy and Boone counties indicates all of the burn bans are still in effect. While some locations have received a generous amount of rain in the last 48 hours, a uniform rain over all of each county has not fallen and many areas of each county remain dangerously dry.
The Arkansas Forestry Commission wildfire map shows the entire state is listed in the high danger category due to the dry conditions.
The U.S. Drought Monitor released its new maps Thursday morning and all of northern Arkansas and most of southern Missouri are now shown in the extreme drought category. Last week, only parts of Fulton and Howell counties were listed as extreme drought.
Relief for the dry conditions is in the forecast. The National Weather Service is predicting another 3-6 inches of rain over the next four days. But, a return to hot and humid conditions is in the forecast by mid-week next week.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI