WESTVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The warmer weather may be a relief for some, but fire officials, both nationally and locally, have their concerns. 

The National Weather Service issued a warning to Central Illinois saying that the dry, windy and warm weather increases the risk for fire. 

The Westville Area Fire Protection District saw these dangers come to life as they fought two field fires on Sunday.

“As soon as the wind picks up, or the wind changes, you don’t know where the embers from that fire are going to go,” said Assistant Fire Chief Matt Shuey.

The first fire from the weekend caused minimal damage, but the second, southeast of the village, burned about five acres before it was extinguished. 

Shuey said it was started by an unattended burn that got out of control. He urged people to be cautious in these conditions to make sure they don’t start a spark.

“The low humidity is a factor, but a bigger factor than that is the wind conditions,” Shuey said. “Here in the Midwest, we know that the winds can change at any point.”

Time of day is also something to be mindful of. 

“When you’re burning at night, you’re never going to stay until everything is out,” Shuey said.  “You’re going to think, ‘Well it’s good,’ and you’re going to walk away.”

Rather than walking away while a fire is still going, he said that there should be no flames, embers or smoke left behind.

“If it’s got something that the heat can latch onto and the wind to help drive it, it’ll spread and then off it goes,” Shuey said.

There’s no telling how far, or how fast, a field fire can spread once it starts.

In rural areas, where most firefighters are volunteers, it’s important to keep in mind how quickly flames can spread before they’re able to get on site.

“Depending on the time of day, if it’s first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon, in the evenings, you don’t know who you’re going to get,” Shuey said. “Because, again, we’re all 100% volunteers.”

Shuey said it’s best to hold off starting fires until the wind dies down. In the case that someone does need to burn, however, he said they should have water nearby to put out the flames if needed. If it becomes too much to handle, always call 911. 

Shuey also said that with daylight savings time beginning, it’s a perfect time to check smoke alarms. They should be looked at twice a year to ensure that they will alert people in potentially dangerous situations.