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13 W. Washington Street * Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone: (740) 594-2261 * Fax: (740) 592-3248

Director, Fred Davis

athensema@athenscountygovernment.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 3, 2010
Fire Weather Red Flag Warning Issued for Athens County

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING, WHICH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH, WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH, ARE EXPECTED TO

DEVELOP TODAY, AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA MID TO LATE
AFTERNOON. RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL ALSO BE IN THE 20S TO LOW 30S PERCENT RANGE.
CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE ONCE THE FRONT PASSES, WITH ITS ASSOCIATED CLOUDS AND FALLING
TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING.

OPEN BURNING OF ANY TYPE IS CONSIDERED VERY HAZARDOUS AT THIS TIME.

ACCIDENTAL ESCAPED DEBRIS BURNS ARE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF WILDFIRES IN ACROSS THE
STATE. ALSO, BE CAREFUL WITH HEAT AND SPARKS WHILE OPERATING ANY EQUIPMENT, OR
SMOKING IN WILD LAND AREAS.

OHIO STATE LAW PROHIBITS BURNING FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM DURING THE MONTHS OF MARCH, APRIL,
AND MAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

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.

Released by,

Dan Pfeiffer
Athens County
Public Information Officers Network