A burn ban is in effect for Delaware county, as well as 50 other Indiana counties after weeks of dry weather.
Residents in counties affected by the bans are urged to be prepared to evacuate if necessary, according to the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office, a division of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
"Even if your area isn't under a burn ban, pay attention to the instructions of all fire department and law enforcement personnel," Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson said in a statement. "In these dry conditions, fires can ignite and spread very quickly. Know what burn ban restrictions affect your area, but always use caution when handling anything that produces heat or could produce a spark."
On Friday, the Delaware County Emergency Management office declared a burn ban that will last a week.
The continous dry, hot weather is elevating the risk for wildfires acoss the state.
John Hendrickson, meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Indianapolis, said a strong high-pressure center is blocking moisture that comes from the gulf, and instead is sending it to the plains and the West, where the weather is usually dry.
"Most of the rain we should have had got stuck in the Plains," he said. "That's why we saw one of the driest Augusts in Indiana."
But the dry weather could leave a longer effect on Indiana. Trees' natural response to drought is to drop their leaves before changing color, which uses a significant amount of moisture, Jim Eagleman, a Department of Natural Resources naturalist for Brown County said in an Associated Press report.
"I'm not sure what the end result will be," Eagleman said. "Whether these trees will show colors typical to fall, my guess is the color will be a little off."
Hendrickson said there is a pattern change for this week, with possible rain expected on Tuesday, extending toward the weekend.
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