Will the Recent Rainfall Ease Fire Danger in North Dakota?

The area received some rainfall, but is it enough to help ease the fire danger?

The area received just under a quarter of an inch of rain last night, which firefighters say will allow a break from what has been an earlier than usual fire season; but not for long

West Fargo Fire Chief Dan Fuller says during the dry season any amount of rainfall helps.
 
“With an earlier season this rain is really going to green things up so it kind of compresses our areas of concern if you will for really dry conditions, but this is just for today,” said West Fargo Fire Chief Dan Fuller.
 
Fuller says wetter conditions have slowed things down.
 
“In the last week we haven’t had any grass fires, and I don’t anticipate us having anymore this week. Although, I could be wrong, you never know, but going into next week it’ll start picking up again,” said Fuller.
 
North Dakota State Climatologist Adnan Akyuz says the state is still considered to be in a moderate drought.
 
“Last winter was the fifth driest winter in history,” said Akyuz.
 
He says a dryer than normal spring is on the way, which could mean more burn bans and restrictions, like the ban just put in place in Grand Forks County.
 
Akyuz says as of right now the area is still below its normal amount of rainfall for spring, and that the current relief could only be short lived.
 
“The perception we have receiving isn’t a significant amount to kill the fire danger completely,”said Akyuz
 
But he does say the rainfall will make a difference in temporarily easing the fire danger.
 
“I think this going to help not only moistening the soil, but keeping the plants wet so that’s going to keep the fire danger at bay at this time,” said Akyuz.
 
In 2015, the West Fargo department responded to at least three major grass fires.

They’ve already responded to three grass fires this year.