There’s a Fire Weather Watch in effect for Berrien County this week. National Weather Service meteorologist Marc Steinwedel tells us it’s a status more often issued out west and not so often in Michigan. Still, conditions are ripe for fires to get out of control.
“When we see conditions where the minimum relative humidity is down to near 25%, wind gusts are out of the south-southwest up to near 30 miles an hour, and the temperatures are up to near 80, those three conditions combined can create conditions favorable for fire growth,” Steinwedel said.
Steinwedel says everyone’s advised to avoid outdoor burning during the watch. The prime fire conditions will be Wednesday, and then the winds are expected to die down Thursday. Some fire departments will let a Fire Weather Watch determine whether they issue burn permits. So, remember to avoid outdoor burning today.
