LITTLE ROCK — The number of counties with bans on outdoor burning in Arkansas is increasing.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Arkansas had seven counties with burn bans in place -- Chicot, Faulkner, Garland, Hempstead, Howard, Jefferson and Saline. The number is up from five on Monday.
While some areas of Arkansas have rain in the forecast for the next couple of days, longer-range forecasts call for high temperatures and low precipitation.
The period from August to early October is one of the state's peak wildfire seasons. The other is in late winter.
The Arkansas Forestry Commission says that, because the state hasn't had major fire outbreaks since 2012, there is abundant fuel.
See Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.