Favorable Conditions For Wildfires, Temps In The 80s Prompt Red Flag Warning For MD

MARYLAND — A summerlike day with gusty winds up to 30 mph pose a greater wildfire risk to much of Maryland, with the National Weather Service issuing a red flag warning for five counties through Wednesday night.

Counties under the red flag warning until 8 p.m. are: Baltimore, Allegany, Montgomery, Howard and Harford.

The warning is in place for northern and central Maryland, northern Virginia and eastern West Virginia.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for west to northwest winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Humidity will range from 20 to 30 percent.

"Critical fire weather conditions are expected through this evening," the NWS Service Baltimore-Washington, D.C., wrote. "All outdoor burning is discouraged, as fires could rapidly spread and become uncontrollable."

Wednesday's forecast calls for sunny skies with a high near 84. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph are expected. Tonight skies will be clear, with a low around 62. West wind 6 to 8 mph.

Not only will warmth continue to surge from the Midwest to the Northeast into the end of the week, but some daily record highs will be challenged, AccuWeather meteorologists warn, but cooler weather is forecast to return this weekend.

"This is a very summerlike pattern on the weather maps with a large area of high pressure at most levels of the atmosphere centered smack over the middle of the nation," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. "The only thing absent will be high humidity."

The warmth will shift eastward, expand and intensify through midweek over the Midwest and finally the Northeast Thursday and Friday, AccuWeather said.

During spring wildfire season, the leading unintentional cause of wildfires is burning of debris or other outdoor burning, which on a ten-year average accounts for 34 percent of the fires to which the Maryland Forest Service responds.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources said the second-leading cause of wildfires is arson, followed by man-made causes such as heat or sparks from equipment use.

Lightning is the only natural source of fire ignition, and accounts for only 3 percent of fire starts.
The Maryland Forest Service recommends that instead of outdoor debris burning, you compost or mulch yard waste, leaves and brush, and use larger brush or trees for firewood.

Outdoor burning should only be done on low fire danger days. State regulations apply to activities in or within 200 feet of woodland, or activities adjacent to or within an area where flammable materials are located.

Open air burning is only allowed if:

• There is a natural or constructed fire break at least 10 feet wide completely around the material to be burned that is free of flammable materials;
• Adequate personnel and equipment are present to prevent the fire from escaping;
• At least one responsible person remains at the location of the fire until the last spark is out; and
• Burning occurs between the hours of 4 p.m. and midnight unless the ground is covered with snow.

More information on open air burning is available on the Department of Natural Resources website.Department of Natural Resources website.