PORTLAND, Maine — Weather conditions started off very dry this October, and it's elevating the threat of fire danger.
In fact, for many climate locations around the state, this has been the driest October on record so far for many climate locations across the state. And with very little rain in the forecast, all eyes turn to the threat for fire danger, especially after the outbreak of deadly brush fires in Connecticut.
Fire danger forecasting is not exclusively tied to the amount of rainfall, though. It depends on how dry the brush is, relative humidity, and winds.
This week has been dry, but a cold front moving through Wednesday night will bring an increase in the relative humidity, which should help dampen the fire danger a bit. However, the next few days (except Friday) look breezy.
As of Wednesday, the fire threat was considered high for western and northern Maine, and it's moderate for the midcoast, Bangor, and Down East.
At this time, the National Weather Service has not issued any red flag or fire weather alerts but will be keeping an eye on the conditions while this dry stretch continues.
Even still, it is still important to be careful when burning at this time.
Never leave a fire unattended, extinguish all fires and cigarettes fully, and never throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle.
