Not only is spring a time when the weather draws people outside, but it’s also a time when the threat of forest fire increases dramatically. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds residents of the classic Smokey Bear saying, “Only you can prevent wildfires!”
Warm, dry and windy conditions move in during the springtime, and fires thrive on those conditions. The department said spring and fall both see these conditions, which also help dry out “forest fuels,” such as brush, grass and leaves so they burn much faster.
“It has been abnormally dry,” said Chris Robertson, the state fire supervisor with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Robertson said right now some areas in the state are almost three inches below where they should be when it comes to rainfall.
“We actually had the relative humidity a couple of weeks ago down in the single digits, which is kind of unheard of for here in the East,” Robertson said. “We’re usually pretty moist.”
According to the department, each year, the Maryland Forest Service responds to 122 wildland fires that burn 1,050 acres of forest. The number jumps much higher when adding in the brush fires responded to by local fire departments across the state.
While lightning that comes with severe weather can be the culprit behind fires, natural causes only account for 3% of fires, according to the state. Most fires start with the help of humans, either unintentionally or intentionally.
The No. 1 cause of forest fires is people burning debris outdoors. According to the department, looking at a 10-year average, 34% of fires were caused by outdoor burning.
Robertson said one mistake people make is assuming the fire risk is less than it is because the grass, leaves and the ground underneath appear wet.
“We call them ‘one-hour fuels’ so the grasses and the leaves can react, you know, and dry out within an hour of you know, of them being damp,” Robertson said.
The second leading cause is arson, followed by heat or sparks from equipment use that leads to a fire.
The department encourages people to consider composting or mulching that stuff as an alternative to burning things such as yard waste, leaves or brush.
For those who still want to do an outdoor burn, state or local regulations must be followed and done only on low fire danger days. Open air burning is only allowed near woodlands or within an area where flammable materials are located 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
- Burning occurs between the hours of 4 p.m. and midnight unless the ground is covered with snow
