The Chesapeake region is breaking records for the longest stretch without rain, and that dry spell combined with windy conditions has continued to fuel numerous brush fires. There are active fires burning in every region of Maryland. A statewide burn ban is still in effect.
Much of the Bay finally received measurable rainfall on Sunday, after an astounding 38 days without rain (to be measured, 0.01 inches must be recorded; trace amounts don’t count). In Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the 38-day stretch was the longest in 153 years of record keeping. At Dulles in Virginia, the 38 days was the longest stretch in 64 years of record keeping.
Sunday’s rain was welcome, to the Maryland Department of Forestry and to the firefighters who have been battling multiple fires over the past five weeks.
The Aberdeen Proving Ground brush fire that had blanketed the upper Bay region with smoke more than a week ago was still smoldering as recently as Sunday. Smoke was still visible along the Route 40 corridor, as trees, stumps and other vegetation smoldered and the wind blew smoke into Harford County. The Army installation asks people in the area not to call 911 to report smoke unless they see an active fire, to avoid tying up phone lines with a high volume of reports.
Elsewhere in Harford County, a second brush fire spread over four acres in Darlington, Harford County, along the Susquehanna River. It was reported by a Delmarva Power (Delmarva Connect) technician, who discovered flames spreading across a hillside near the Susquehanna River. The fire originated from a downed power line in the woods on property owned by Exelon, according to Harford County Fire and EMS.
11 different local fire companies and emergency response agencies responded to fight the fire, along with the state forestry department. Firefighters used tankers to bring in water from the Susquehanna River at Glen Cove Marinas and Broad Creek Marina, and accessed the 18 acres of brush using off-road vehicles and 4-wheel drive trucks. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later released.
Crews are still monitoring hot spots, but the fire is contained. A bulldozer deployed for overhaul operations at the site. Fire officials say dry foliage and drought conditions were significant factors in this fire, with seasonal winds pushing flames inland.
State Fire Supervisor Chris Robertson, with Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Maryland Forest Service, tells us, “Because of the extreme conditions, fires are very resistant to control and are burning deep into the duff layer. This requires personnel to spend additional time making certain that fires are contained.”
But was that bit of rain that finally broke the dry spell enough to lower the fire risk? DNR says the danger isn’t over, but the rainfall did give firefighters a day to regroup. With high winds moving in on Tuesday, National Weather Service said it was still monitoring potential fire weather concerns through Wednesday. 20-30 mph gusts were expected Tuesday, with winds dropping on Wednesday, but no more precipitation expected until Thursday.
The burn ban that is still in effect for Maryland applies to all open air fires, including fire pits, campfires, charcoal grills. Only burning devices with a stack or chimney may be used outdoors.
The Forest Service has made contact with several landowners who were unaware of the burn ban, and other law enforcement agencies in the state have reported violations. A first offense is subject to a fine of $300, but DNR says the state always prefers to educate rather than issue citations. The Department of Natural Resources has more details about the burn ban here.
