The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Special Weather Alert for the WAKO listening area Thursday and Friday. Despite cooler conditions and some rain across the region this week, The NWS says that there is a heightened danger of fire for southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana. Dry air will combine with increasing winds and dry vegetation at the end of the growing season to create conditions favorable for the spread of outdoor fires. People are being discouraged from outdoor burning during the period. Burning embers from outdoor grills or campfires can blow around and easily catch grass on fire. Improperly discarded cigarettes outdoors can also start fires that spread quickly and ongoing field harvest activity involving heated farm machinery in dry fields can also lead to fire. Do use caution. In a related note, officials in neighboring Crawford County have rescinded the Burn Ban that had been recently imposed due to conditions.