Red Flag Warning issued for Maryland due to drought and strong winds

According to the National Weather Service, much of Maryland is under a Red Flag Warning on Friday as the lack of rain, along with low humidity and strong winds, means weather conditions are conducive to wildfires and the rapid spread of fires.

The warning will be in effect from noon to 6 p.m. statewide, from Western Maryland to parts of the Eastern Shore.

When does the warning come? Maryland under statewide burn ban Due to recent dry conditions.

According to AJ Metcalf, Department of Natural Resources, a burn ban means that charcoal burning, fire pits, and campfires (any fire that cannot be contained and where sparks could fly, strike leaves, and start a fire) are not allowed; this is also subject to fines, a spokesman for AJ Metcalf said.

The order, which covers public and private spaces, does not include using propane for grilling or lighting a flame in a container other than an incinerator, furnace or equipment with a chimney or chimney.

When the burn ban was issued last Friday, Metcalf said the burn ban was in effect until weather conditions changed and widespread precipitation occurred.

Violators can be fined $125, according to the DNR. Previous statewide burn bans have lasted between one and eight weeks.

The Baltimore area has gone 36 days without a measurable amount of rain, said Kyle Pallozzi, a meteorologist with the NWS. He said the last time the region made such a long journey was in 1963, which took 32 days.

But Sunday night is the next chance for rain, Pallozzi said. There is a 70% chance of rain that could end the dry streak, but this is not a guarantee.