The state of Vermont issued a two-week ban on debris burning on Monday in an attempt to reduce the risk of wildfires during a stretch of dry and potentially windy weather.
The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation ordered all fire wardens to stop issuing burn permits until 3 p.m. on Nov. 11. That order could be revoked earlier if the risk of fire decreases, the department said. As of Tuesday morning, all but one region in Vermont had a high, or very high risk for fire danger, according to the state’s fire danger forecast.
It’s been a dry autumn, which has led to the increased risk of wildfires, said Brooke Taber, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Burlington.
“That combination of the dry conditions that we've received, along with all the leaf litter that's on the ground, produces fuel conditions that are favorable for potential fire spread,” Taber said on Tuesday.
While a quarter to half-inch of rain is expected Tuesday evening, the forecasters are predicting warm, dry and windy conditions later in the week.
“People shouldn't be fooled that just because we get a little precipitation that fire danger is over,” said Dan Dillner, state forest fire supervisor. “We're expecting to have some really warm, dry conditions again by tomorrow, and then Thursday, with a lot of wind.”
There is also no widespread “wetting” rain expected in the next seven to 10 days, according to the National Weather Service.
There have already been several wildfires in the past week, including one that burned 16.5 acres in Ludlow and another that burned 73 acres in Barnard.
According to Vermont State Police, the Barnard fire destroyed two camps, and injured one person. The fire in Barnard is believed to have been started by the improper disposal of ashes from a wood stove, VSP said in a press release on Sunday.
As of Tuesday there were still several “hot spots” in the area that burned, said Scott Mills, Barnard’s fire warden.
“There is still some snow up there where it is at this point, but that's going to go away fast,” Mills said. “We're keeping our fingers crossed — [they’re] saying we might get some rain this afternoon and evening.”
State fire officials plan to use infrared drones on Tuesday to find the hot spots in Barnard, and will set fire crews out to those locations on Wednesday, Dillner said.
Vermont isn’t the only state in the region to have an elevated fire risk right now. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency last Friday due to fire conditions. And in Massachusetts, where as of Monday there were 47 active brush fires, officials have warned residents to use extra caution with any open flame or other heat sources outside.
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