Brush Fire Risk Elevated Early in the Week

While it's been chilly outside, the air mass that is in place is quite dry.  The relative humidity will be between 20 and 30 percent this afternoon across the area.  Combine that with the dry brush and occasional wind gusts as high as 20 MPH, the brush fire threat will be elevated today and again tomorrow.

Even though we had locally heavy rainfall last week and the ground may still be moist in spots, the brush on the ground dried out quickly, which is what burns in a brush fire.

So, while the threat for brush fires is not critical, it is a good idea to postpone any open burning until we get some rain.  It only takes one gust of wind and a spark to start a brush fire.

--Meteorologist Brian Thompson