Southwest Iowa wildfire: Crews, farmers contain massive field fire
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Updated: 6:30 PM CDT Mar 28, 2025
Southwest Iowa wildfire: Crews, farmers contain massive field fire
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Updated: 6:30 PM CDT Mar 28, 2025
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WEEKEND. FORECAST. THAT’S COMING UP IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. THANKS, ANNE. THE WIND CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH OUR NEXT STORY. BREAKING NEWS OUT OF ADAIR COUNTY. FIREFIGHTERS AND FARMERS BATTLING A MASSIVE FIELD FIRE. IT’S BURNING ABOUT TEN MILES SOUTH OF GREENFIELD, JUST WEST OF ORIENT. KCCI BEAU BOWMAN IS LIVE FOR US THERE THIS AFTERNOON. BO YOU’VE BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS NOW. WHAT DO THINGS LOOK LIKE THERE RIGHT NOW? WELL, BEN, STACEY, THINGS HAVE DEFINITELY CALMED DOWN. PROBABLY IN ABOUT THE LAST, LAST HOUR OR SO. BUT AS YOU CAN TELL, IT’S VERY WINDY OUT HERE. AND THAT’S JUST REALLY NOT HELPING THE SITUATION. RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE MOST OF THE FIELD FIRE UNDER CONTROL, BUT IF YOU LOOK OUT INTO THE DISTANCE HERE, YOU CAN SEE A HOUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY STILL ON FIRE CAUSED FROM THE FIELD FIRE. I’M TOLD BY THE ADAIR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER, JEREMY COOPER, THAT THAT HOUSE IS UNOCCUPIED. NOBODY LIVES THERE. BUT THIS IS A RESULT OF THE FIELD FIRE THAT YOU’RE SEEING ON YOUR SCREEN. NOW, THIS IS WHAT WE TOOK EARLIER TODAY AROUND 2:00. THAT LINE OF FIRE STRETCHED, THEY SAY, ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTH OF GREENFIELD, ABOUT TEN MILES SOUTH OF TOWN. BUT THE LINE OF FIRE ITSELF IS ABOUT TWO MILES LONG, AND YOU CAN JUST SEE IT ROAR THROUGH THE FIELDS. CRISSCROSSING BETWEEN THE WIND TURBINES THAT ARE OUT HERE. AND IT REALLY TOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE. THIS WAS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL. THEY HAD TONS OF FIRE AGENCIES OUT HERE. ALSO, SOME LOCAL FARMERS CAME OUT WITH THEIR TRACTORS AND PLOWS TILLING UP THE LAND TO BRING OUT SOME OF THAT DIRT TO TRY TO SLOW DOWN THAT FIRE. THEY WERE REALLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DIDN’T JUMP OVER HIGHWAY 25. THEY DID THAT. THEY SAY THE FIRE IS CONTAINED RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE STILL JUST PUTTING OUT SOME HOTSPOTS, OBVIOUSLY STILL WORKING ON THAT HOUSE THAT IS ENGULFED IN FLAMES RIGHT NOW. BUT THEY THINK IT’S CONTAINED, SO IT’S NOT GOING TO SPREAD ANY FURTHER. WE’RE LIVE I
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Southwest Iowa wildfire: Crews, farmers contain massive field fire
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Updated: 6:30 PM CDT Mar 28, 2025
Warm, dry and windy conditions fueled a massive field fire in southwest Iowa. Jeremy Cooper, EMA Coordinator for Adair County, confirmed to KCCI's Beau Bowman that crews worked to keep the fire from crossing Highway 25, about 2 miles west of Orient and about 8 miles south of Greenfield. Bowman said several area farmers used discs to turn up fields in an attempt to slow the spread of the fire. South winds are blowing between 20 to 30 mph this afternoon, with gusts up to 50 mph. There's a red flag warning in effect for more than a dozen counties in western Iowa. "Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly," the National Weather Service warns. "Outdoor burning is not recommended." Fifteen Iowa counties also have burn bans in effect, including Adair County.KCCI ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | X/Twitter
Warm, dry and windy conditions fueled a massive field fire in southwest Iowa.
Jeremy Cooper, EMA Coordinator for Adair County, confirmed to KCCI's Beau Bowman that crews worked to keep the fire from crossing Highway 25, about 2 miles west of Orient and about 8 miles south of Greenfield.
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Bowman said several area farmers used discs to turn up fields in an attempt to slow the spread of the fire.
South winds are blowing between 20 to 30 mph this afternoon, with gusts up to 50 mph.
There's a red flag warning in effect for more than a dozen counties in western Iowa.
"Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly," the National Weather Service warns. "Outdoor burning is not recommended."
Fifteen Iowa counties also have burn bans in effect, including Adair County.
RAW VIDEO: Farmers use plows to slow spread of wildfire in Adair County
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RAW VIDEO: Massive field fire burning in Adair County
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What is a red flag warning?
When it comes to weather, three ingredients increase fire danger: Low relative humidity, strong winds and already dry fuel.
Unusually high temperatures lower the air's relative humidity. This dries out dead vegetation, making it easier to burn. Strong winds can then spread the flames of any fire that starts, quickly driving it out of control.
If conditions are extreme enough, the National Weather Service will issue a red flag warning, its highest-level warning for fire danger. Red flag warnings require the following:
Relative humidity less than 25%
Wind speeds (or frequent gusts) above 25 mph
Already dry fuel (grass, leaves, brush, etc.)
Conditions expected in the next 24 hours
During dry, warm, windy weather in the spring and fall, it's important to take basic fire precautions.
Don't try to burn grassy areas or brush in the spring, or leaves in the fall
Don't burn trash (burn barrels, etc.)
Carefully discard cigarette butts and matches
Monitor outdoor equipment (field fires are often sparked by hot farm machinery)
