Firefighters are currently working to contain nine large fires across the country. There are 581 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide, including three crews, 32 engines and three helicopters.
Yesterday, 63 new fires were reported nationwide, including one new large incident. The Southern Area reported 28 new fires, while the Eastern Area reported 14.
Year-to-date, 67,457 fires have burned nearly 9.4 million acres, 133% of the 10-year average number of fires and 146% of the average acres burned for this date.
As you celebrate Halloween tomorrow, keep fire safety in mind. Choose flame-resistant costumes, keep decorations away from candles and other open flames, and use battery-operated lights in jack-o'-lanterns. Keep walkways clear of decorations so trick-or-treaters can move safely.
Weather
A dry cold front will continue to move through the Ohio Valley and Mid- Atlantic today, with breezy northwest winds in the Northeast. These winds will be accompanied by relative humidity above 40% keeping fire potential low. Dry and warm conditions will continue in the Southeast and Lower Mississippi Valley, but relative humidity will be higher than previous days and generally above 30%, except in portions of the southern Appalachians which may drop as low as 25%. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop on the central and southern Plains due to moisture from the remnants of Pacific Tropical Storm Vance. Farther west, moisture from Vance will also move into the Southwest and northward into the Great Basin and central Rockies, where scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected. Due to the warm nature of the system, snow will be confined to the highest elevations of the central Rockies. Precipitation will wind down today in western Alaska while strong winds occur off the Alaska Range in portions of the central and eastern Interior, while heavy snow is expected in the Alaska Range and Chugach Mountains. Trade winds return to Hawai’i but elevated low-level moisture will result in scattered and locally heavy windward showers.
Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk
