Saline County Emergency Management Director Tony Day is issuing a burn advisory as abnormally dry conditions are persisting through the county.

Day tells KMMO news that while Saline County has not entered drought conditions, he advises residents to not conduct any outdoor burns, as conditions could result in the development of wildfires. He also encourages farmers to exercise caution when operating their equipment. Day says the advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve.

KMMO’s weather observation station has not measured any rain since Sept. 23. As of last Thursday’s weekly Drought Monitor from USDA and the University of Nebraska, all of Saline County is in abnormally dry condition, while portions of Lafayette, Johnson and Pettis counties are in moderate or severe drought. 39.4 percent of Missouri is in some stage of drought, including all or part of eight Southwest Missouri counties in extreme drought. Another 37.7 percent of the state is in abnormal dryness.