Snow and rain may be in the forecast for today, but Mary Senger doesn't think it will be enough to keep fire conditions at bay.

"One or two days of rain - it's going to dry up so fast," said the Burleigh County emergency manager on Friday.

Senger and five other North Dakota emergency managers issued burn bans for their counties on Friday. Dry conditions, wind and high temperatures put many parts of the state in a red-flag warning for fire danger.

Burn bans for Burleigh, Emmons, Kidder, Logan, Morton and Oliver counties were put into effect immediately. Open burning is prohibited under the burn ban, though charcoal and gas grills can be used in those counties as long as they are used correctly and on a flat surface.

Anyone who willfully violates a burn ban can be charged with an infraction, punishable by a $500 fine. A second offense is considered a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

McIntosh County issued a burn ban on Thursday, following similar bans on Tuesday in Stark, Bowman and Billings counties, Wednesday in Grant County and Thursday in Slope County. Dunn and Mercer County banned burning on March 25, and the North Dakota Game and Fish banned burning in the Oahe Wildlife Management Area along both sides of the river on March 24.

The Billings and Bowman counties' bans also prohibit off-road driving except for business operations, and smoking outside of buildings or vehicles when conditions are high, very high or extreme on the rangeland fire danger index.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Ken Simosko said rain and snow are expected today across the state.

"We've got a pretty moist system coming down," he said.

The storm is expected to hit northwest Bismarck first, then move south and east across the state, Simosko said. The Bismarck area likely will see the winter weather take hold in late afternoon and early evening. Accompanying the moisture will be "brisk" temperatures in the 40s and light winds, Simosko said.

The weather service issued a winter storm watch Friday afternoon, predicting rain turning to snow across the state today. The expected storm also could bring 20 mph to 30 mph winds, which could lead to drifting snow.

"It should be enough moisture to kind of stymie the fire danger," he said.

Simosko said there are no indications thus far that this summer will be any drier or hotter than normal. The far western part of the state may have warmer temperatures than on average in June, July and August, while southeast North Dakota may see drier conditions during that period.

Average precipitation in the Bismarck area from Jan. 1 through Friday is 1.97 inches, but the area received only .97 inches during that time frame. Storms missed the area during the winter, leading to a dry season.

"The grass is very dry and brown,"he said. "We're behind on precipitation."

Senger doesn't think the expected weekend storm will be enough to stop the area from having a dry, fire-prone season. On Thursday, fire departments in Burleigh, Morton and McLean counties, which have mutual aid agreements, were tied up with four area fires.

A fire in Baldwin burned more than 200 acres on Thursday but was completely out by Friday, Senger said. Fire officials believe the fire was started by a passing train, she said. Area departments also helped out on fires near Center and Stanton, and at the Johnson's Wrecking fire in rural Mandan.

Having four fires burning in the area simultaneously may seem unique, but Senger worries that it won't be unique for this fire season.

"It's just that dry," she said.

She asks that smokers extinguish cigarette butts completely and dispose of them properly to prevent a smoldering cigarette from igniting a dry field.

"They need to have some caution with that and extinguish them in the proper containers," she said.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@bismarcktribune.com.)