A fire weather watch issued Montgomery County for Wednesday has been upgraded to a red flag warning, due to dry conditions and strong winds that could contribute to “extreme fire behavior, according to the National Weather Service office for Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area.
According to the National Weather Service, the red flag warning will go into effect at 11 a.m. Wednesday and end at 7 p.m.
A red flag warning means that critical weather conditions are either occurring now, or will occur shortly, the service said. A combination of wind, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to “extreme fire behavior.”
The weather service originally issued a fire weather watch on Tuesday for the same time period before it shifted to a red flag warning Wednesday morning. A fire weather watch means that critical weather conditions may occur, according to the National Weather Service.
The service predicted that winds could reach 15 to 25 mph, with gusts around 25 to 35 mph. Relative humidity is predicted to be about 15% to 30%. The red flag warning also includes Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia.
The National Weather Service said any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
On social media Wednesday, the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security noted that conditions will be favorable for brush fires. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the state experienced a total of 165 wildfires, which burned about 953 acres, during 2024. Of those, 30% were caused by debris burning. In 2024, 45 fires that burned a total of about 70 acres occurred in the southern region of Maryland, which includes Montgomery County.
At the end of February, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews responded to a brush fire that burned several acres in Dickerson.
