The latest edition of the Illinois drought monitor released Thursday does not bear good news.
They say while many areas of the state saw some beneficial rains within the past 10 days, large portions of the state did not. This has led to rapid drought expansion with severe drought being declared in the Peoria region.
Southern Illinois has improved but remains very dry. Most of Lawrence County has been rated as abnormally dry. Thursday, units of the Lawrence-Allison Fire Protection District were mobilized to a combine-farm field fire northeast of the Mid-American Air Center in rural Lawrence County caused by excessive heat created by the farm machinery.
No large rains are in the immediate forecast for next week. A windy, hot, dry weekend is in store which will lead to high fire danger across the area. Lawrence County fire officials remind residents that a burn ban continues until further notice.
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