Windy, dry conditions keep fire danger high across state

Strong winds that helped fuel a series of dangerous brush and house fires Monday have weakened slightly, but forecasters urged caution Tuesday as conditions remained ripe for fires.

No rain is forecast to relieve dry conditions, and 15 to 25 mph winds with gusts of up to 35 mph are possible, according to the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.

Burn bans were in effect in eight counties in northern and western Arkansas. The weather service issued an alert discouraging burning across the state due to the dry weather and gusting winds than can quickly spread fires.

An 87-year-old woman was killed and another person seriously injured in a house fire Monday in Little Rock and the Little Rock Fire Department battled two other structure fires as well as several brush fires near the state Capitol, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

Fires burned at least 74 acres across the state Monday afternoon, the newspaper reported.

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