¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý

(WSIL) -- Dry conditions and the lack of rain has multiple counties and communities issuing burn bans. 

Currently there are burn bans in the following places:

• ILLINOIS
  • Hardin County
  • Pope County
  • Johnston City
  • Pulaski County
  • Union County
  • Saline County
• MISSOURI
  • Cape Girardeau
  • Scott County
  • Perry County
• KENTUCKY
  • Calloway County
  • Carlisle County
  • Crittenden County
  • Livingston County
  • McCracken County
  • Benton

Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits said high winds and the recent four field fires made their ban necessary. 

The most recent fire came Sunday evening. Two of those fires, Sheriff Suits says they may never know how they started. 

"We started getting calls from the Forest Service wanting to know if we have a burn ban down here in Pope County/ Then we started getting calls from other counties," explained Sheriff Suits. 

After consulting with the fire chief, along with other personnel, Sheriff Suits says a consensus was drawn that a burn ban was needed.

"What I'm worried about is, they're out there burning leaves or an old bail of hay they're wanting to burn, that stuff spreads just like that. That's what we're wanting to say away from," said Sheriff Suits. 

With no rain in the immediate future, Sheriff Suits is asking folks to simply use common sense.

"Most people use common sense but I want them to also know we've had some fires here. We're fighting them but we're trying to communicate with the citizens of this county to be aware for a while," said the Sheriff.