Apr 24, 2008 2:41 pm US/Eastern
Brush Fire Danger Extremely High
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for most of southern New England Thursday. Because of the very dry conditions the last 10 days, the risk of brush fires is extremely high.
According to the weather service, a Red Flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.
The warning is in effect from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It covers most of Massachusetts, southwest and south central New Hampshire, northern Rhode Island and northern Connecticut.
Forecasters say the greatest concern is for northern Massachusetts north of Route 2 and southwest New Hampshire where winds will be the strongest.
The south coast of Massachusetts and southern Rhode Island have been excluded from the warning.
According to Wendy Fox of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, 897 fires have burned 1,372 acres of land this year – 81 of those fires happened on Wednesday.
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