Hastings issues burn ban for rural residents

HASTINGS, Neb. – Due to potential dangerous fire weather conditions, Hastings and the area surrounding the city have been placed under a burn ban.

The Hastings Rural Fire Department made the announcement Wednesday, and will be in effect until further notice.

This ban is effective for residents that have previously acquired burn permits from the fire department.

Officials are asking people who have recently burned to double-check their burn piles to make sure nothing is still smoldering or could potentially catch fire.

The hazards of fires continue for the rest of the week, including a fire watch issued on Friday from 12 to 8 p.m. by the National Weather Service.  

The NWS is issuing a fire weather watch because of low relative humidity and winds gusting up to 45 miles an hour in some areas