Sunshine and temperatures in the 60s Saturday attracted crowds of people enjoying the outdoors across the Omaha area.
While many welcome the unseasonably warm weather, it's causing higher fire danger.
There were at least three grass fires reported in Omaha and Sarpy County since the fire Sunday in rural Gretna that shut down a stretch of Highway 31.
The largest was in Omaha Friday afternoon and burned nearly 30 acres near 45th and McKinley.
“It was a very difficult fire because of limited access,” said Ponca Hills Fire Chief Joel Sacks. “There was only one gate to get through the property to the fire. This early in the spring or in the winter, the ground is starting to thaw. It was very slick and muddy."
That fire burned mostly weeds, grass and small trees, Sacks said.
No one was hurt.
Warm weather and dry conditions increase the chance for fires like the ones that burned in Omaha and Sarpy County, Sacks said.
"We're always ready,” he said. “We keep a little more awareness in the drier conditions, keep everybody prepped up on weed fires. We do weed fire training early in the spring."
Grass fires easily spread in these conditions, Sacks said.
"Some people don't use common sense and they'll run their burn barrels or their fire pit, maybe don't put it out when they're done,” he said. “They don't pay attention to the wind and the weather forecast."
While there has been no grass or brush fires across the bridge in Council Bluffs, Assistant Fire Chief Derrick Williams says they’re on alert, especially with dry brush along the Missouri River.
"The bike trails in our community, most of our trails are in the outskirts, Wabash and the one down by the river, and with help from Omaha and tourists with the Bob Kerrey Bridge, we usually get on top of them pretty quick," Williams said.
High grass fire danger in February in unusual, Williams said.
"It is definitely strange with no snow and the frost coming out of the ground."
The Ponca Hills fire chief says if it rains, or the ground is wet from melted frost, it only takes about an hour of direct sunlight to dry a lot of smaller branches, grass and brush - making it flammable.
