Elevated Fire Risk in New Jersey: March 18th

I must be learning something about when conditions are right for enhanced fire danger. I was out a little while doing a couple of errands, noted the winds and wondered if fuels were dry after the rains earlier this week. I had not checked for relative humidity. But I had a feeling. So I went home and and checked the website for the National Weather Service at Mt. Holly NJ (Philadelphia) and saw this special weather statement issued at 9:40 AM:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 940 AM EDT FRI MAR 18 2016

DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ009-010-012>027-PAZ060-061- 070-071-101>106-182200- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX- WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN- NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY- ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-BERKS-LEHIGH-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER-WESTERN MONTGOMERY- EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...DOVER...GEORGETOWN... REHOBOTH BEACH...ELKTON...CHESTERTOWN...CENTREVILLE...EASTON... DENTON...FLEMINGTON...SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...FREEHOLD... SANDY HOOK...TRENTON...PENNSVILLE...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN... CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN...MOUNT HOLLY...JACKSON...MILLVILLE... HAMMONTON...CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE...OCEAN CITY...ATLANTIC CITY... LONG BEACH ISLAND...WHARTON STATE FOREST...READING...ALLENTOWN... MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA...HONEY BROOK...OXFORD...WEST CHESTER... KENNETT SQUARE...COLLEGEVILLE...POTTSTOWN...NORRISTOWN... LANSDALE...CHALFONT...PERKASIE...MORRISVILLE...DOYLESTOWN 940 AM EDT FRI MAR 18 2016

...AN ELEVATED RISK FOR SPREAD OF FIRES THIS AFTERNOON...

GUSTY WINDS, ALONG WITH LOWERING RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND DRYING FUELS WILL LEAD TO AN ELEVATED RISK FOR THE SPREAD OF FIRES THIS AFTERNOON.

Here is the fire weather forecast from the National Weather Service at Mt. Holly NJ (Philadelphia) for the counties that include the Pine Barrens (a glossary of fire weather terminology used by the National Weather Service may be found here):

NJZ012-013-015-019-020-027-191415-
MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-
SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NEW BRUNSWICK...FREEHOLD...TRENTON...
MOORESTOWN...MOUNT HOLLY...JACKSON...WHARTON STATE FOREST
1004 AM EDT FRI MAR 18 2016

                      TODAY        TONIGHT      SAT

CLOUD COVER           MCLEAR       MCLEAR       PCLDY
PRECIP CHC(%)         0            0            0
PRECIP TYPE           NONE         NONE         NONE
MIN/MAX TEMP          63           31           44
MAX/MIN RH %          26           62           31
MAX AM WIND (MPH)     W  8 G24                  N  7
MAX PM WIND (MPH)     W 16 G32     NW  8 G23    NE  4
PRECIP AMOUNT         0.00         0.00         0.00
PRECIP DURATION       0            0            0
HAINES INDEX          5            3            4
LAL                   1            1            1
MIXING HGT (MAX/MIN)  13060        0            5000
TRANS WIND (MAX/MIN)  W 38         NW 19        NE  5
VENTILATION RATE      574640       0            30000
DISPERSION            VERY GOOD    VERY POOR    POOR