BATTLEFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – With Monday and Tuesday being KY3 First Alert weather days, firefighters are preparing to deal with fire threats again.

KY3 meteorologists say Wind gusts are expected to range between 25 and 45 mph; those gusts will work in conjunction with the dry conditions still affecting the ozarks and lead to a high fire danger for monday and tuesday.

“This is a very demanding, very demanding job. Whenever we have such fires. It’s been pretty dry the last few months, especially the last 30 to 45 days,” said Capt. Tim Childs of Battlefield Fire.

With low humidity and potential strong winds over the next couple of days, fire officials say the chance for wildfires will increase. Since the beginning of the month, Battlefield Fire has responded to half a dozen brush fires.

One of the fires recently occurred at Wilson’s Creek. It took over two hours just to put it out.

Childs says: “Unfortunately, grass fires, because they can spread over such a distance, it makes it harder because we have to travel further to fight these fires. We often do it without water. We do it by hand, raking or using a backpack blower to get it going.”

Compared to this time last year, firefighters say they have battled just one brush fire. He warns people not to burn, saying all it takes is a small spark.

“People cooking in the backyard using an uncovered source that can create a spark that happens to land in their neighbor’s yard or happens to land in their neighbor’s gutter system that has leaf litter in it, very flammable in this time of year,” said Captain Childs.

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