CLEVELAND — The National Weather Service is warning Northeast Ohioans of an elevated risk for fires due to weather conditions Sunday.
The NWS' Cleveland branch issued a special weather statement for Elevated Fire Danger for most of northern Ohio and parts of northwestern Pennsylvania. The statement is valid from Sunday afternoon through 5 p.m.
The NWS said a combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and southeast wing gusts up to 20 miles per hour, plus recent drought conditions, will lead to an elevated risk of fires starting.
"Any fires that start may spread rapidly and become difficult to control, especially in areas of brush, dropped leaves, and unharvested fields," the weather service said.
The statement covers all areas in several Ohio counties including:
- Erie County
- Lorain County
- Cuyahoga County
- Lake County
- Geauga County
- Ashtabula County
- Huron County
- Medina County
- Summit Portage County
- Richland County
- Ashland County
- Wayne County
- Stark County
The NWS strongly discouraged outdoor burning Sunday. (State law prohibits outdoor open burning statewide in unincorporated areas during spring and fall months including November between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.)
People should take extra care to prevent the ignition of accidental fires, especially when smoking or when operating vehicles near "dropped leaves, dormant vegetation or crops," the NWS said.