Fire and Rain | Video

Jenny Castro | 4/6/2012

Seeing rain in the forecast a year ago was disastrous news, but this year it is welcomed. The dry conditions of this spring has had firefighters on edge until there`s more moisture.

Friday`s fire index was at "Very High." A change in the weather would bring a little ease to local firefighters.

"Whether it be snow, rain, whatever. That`ll make us all happy and we`ll be able to slow things up," said Minot Rural Fire Chief Rex Weltikol.

Things have been busy lately for rural fire departments as the dry conditions are creating the opposite concern of last year`s record breaking moisture.

"We`re already hit call number 50 for the year and we typically don`t see that until July or August," Weltikol said.

April is typically the windiest month of the year too. Heavy winds along with dry soil can be a dangerous combination.

"It sometimes pushes that fire faster than we can chase it."

A complete 180 from last year, and right now a little bit of moisture will do a lot of good.

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