Wildfire — Carter, Missouri

2025-03-14 to 2025-03-16 · Carter, Missouri

Event narrative

The Turley 2 wildfire, located about 2 miles east northeast of Fremont in the Mark Twain National Forest, was reported by U.S. Forest Service personnel. Fanned by south southeast winds gusting 35-50mph through the evening, the fire burnt 94.5 acres before being completely extinguished. In addition to the gusty winds, response to the fire was hindered by a series of tornadic storms that swept across southeast Missouri later in the evening. A deadly EF-3 tornado ripped a path just west and north of Fremont.

Wider weather episode

A vigorous storm system over the central Plains, with a sub 980mb surface low over Kansas, induced a very strong pressure gradient across southeast Missouri. The result was strong south southeast winds through the afternoon and evening. Gusts 35-50 mph were common for much of the period, but the winds increased in the late evening. Perryville Regional Airport (KPCD) gusted 56 mph and Cape Girardeau Regional Airport gusted to 61 mph. The strong winds resulted in power outages in Bollinger County and Butler County and allowed two wildfires, one southeast of Piedmont and another just northeast of Fremont, to grow rapidly out of control in the evening. Each of the fires consumed over 90 acres of the Mark Twain National Forest.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1247765. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.