Hazardous Weather Statement Issued For 13 MD Counties Due To High Winds, Low Humidity

MARYLAND — The risk of wildfires increases Tuesday thanks to the combination of dry conditions and gusty winds up to 25 mph. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather statement for 13 Maryland counties that extends through Tuesday night.

Counties at a greater risk of wildfires include: Washington, Carroll, Baltimore, Cecil, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Charles, St. Marys, Calvert, Allegany, Montgomery, Howard and Harford.

The weather Tuesday calls for partly cloudy skies and highs in the low 50s. Wednesday's forecast brings scattered showers with a 30 percent chance of precipitation and temperatures in the low 60s.

Relative humidity values are expected to drop back to around 20 to 25 percent Tuesday afternoon, with some areas possibly seeing relative humidity values below 20 percent for a couple of hours. West winds are forecast to gust 15 to 20 mph in the valleys and 20 to 25 mph on the eastern slopes of the mountains. Gusts could occasionally reach close to 30 mph.

Any dry grasses, dead leaves and other tree litter that ignite will have the potential to spread fire quickly. Maryland residents are urged by the NWS to use caution if handling any potential ignition source, including machinery, cigarettes and matches, and to be sure to properly discard all smoking materials.

"The wind tends to dry the ground out faster. So when the temperatures are warm, the humidity is low and the wind gusts go over 20-25 miles per hour, that's a combination that allows the grass to dry faster, the vegetation to dry out a little bit," WBAL meteorologist Tony Pann said.

Here's the latest seven-day forecast for Maryland from the National Weather Service:

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 42. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Southwest wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Northwest wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.

Friday Night: Rain likely after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday: Rain likely, mainly before 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

In an average year, the Maryland Forest Service responds to an average of 123 wildfires that burn more than 1,780 acres of forest, brush, and grasses. Fire departments respond to more than 5,000 wildfire incidents per year. The only natural cause of wildfires is lightning and this accounts for only 4% of the wildfire ignitions in Maryland. The remaining 96% of wildfires are caused by humans.

Maryland’s leading cause of wildfires is improper debris or outdoor burning that ignites an average of 35% of the fires each year. Arson, the second leading cause, accounts for around 30% of ignitions. Other causes include equipment use, children playing with fire, smoking, campfires, railroads and other miscellaneous ignitions from sources such as downed power lines, discarded ashes and fireworks.