Allen County commissioners lifted a burn ban that has been in place for weeks because of drought conditions.
All of Allen County remains in extreme drought conditions, but some parts of the county received about 2 inches of rain on Friday and more is expected later this week.
Emergency Management Director Jason Trego and Sheriff Bryan Murphy on Tuesday morning recommended the county end its burn ban, which the county implemented on Sept. 20. Commissioners unanimously agreed.
The county remains about 7.4 inches below normal rainfall for this time of year, according to Iola city records.
The U.S. Drought monitor lists all of Allen County in extreme drought, which means crops are likely to fail, pasture conditions are poor and river levels are low. About 9.16% of the county is listed in exceptional drought, which is the most severe category with higher potential for wildfire and dust storms.
Rain was expected on Tuesday and Thursday. Temperatures were expected to fall overnight Thursday, with highs in the low 40s starting on Friday and lows around 20 by Saturday night.
